Levitt & Wokini Initiative host All My Relatives Festival

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – A celebration of Native American music, art and culture is coming to the Levitt Friday and Saturday.

The All My Relatives (Mitakuye Owas’iƞ) Festival happening July 7 and 8 will include three Levitt concerts featuring Native American artists:

• Friday at 7 p.m. — hip-hop musician Frank Waln (Sicangu Lakota/Rosebud Sioux Tribe) performing with world-renowned hoop dancers Lumhe and Samsoche Sampson (Mvskoke Creek/Seneca).

• Saturday at 10:30 a.m. — Jackie Bird (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate) will present a performance for youth and families featuring traditional dance as well as singing and puppeteering on the mainstage of the Levitt.

• Saturday at 7 p.m. — blues-rock group Indigenous (Ihanktonwan/Yankton Sioux), opened by musician Kobe Jordan (Ihanktonwan/Yankton Sioux) and his band.

• Hip-hop artist Gabriel Night Shield (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) will be opening Friday’s concert and emceeing throughout the festival weekend.

Activities will be available in the parking lot behind the Levitt Shell and in the neighboring Startup Sioux Falls and Rehfeld’s Underground venues during the day on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m.

The event will also feature an art show, a children’s area, Lakota hand games, art activities, Buffalo Gals food truck (on Saturday), a Native artisan and vendor fair, a fashion show and a DJ.

More about the fashion show

A fashion show featuring Native designers will be offered on the backstage of the Levitt at 2 p.m. featuring clothing designers Kyrie Dunkley of Shinin’ Star Style (Toka Nuwan/Enemy Swim), Yolanda OldDwarf of Sweet Sage Woman (Apsaalooké Nation/Crow tribe) and Kirstie Mattos, the Mrs. South Dakota USA Ambassador (Taino). Accessories will be designed by Sheila Winge and Denise Hill of Family Affair LLC (Sisseton Wahpeton). Lead hair designer is Holly Songhawk (Ihanktonwan/Yankton Sioux) and lead makeup designer is Carla Iron Shooter (Rosebud Sioux Tribe). Over 24 models will be sharing the work of the designers at the All My Relatives Fashion Show, which will be followed by a designer and model meet and greet at 3 p.m. at Startup Sioux Falls.

“The Wokini Initiative focuses on collaboration for Native youth,” says Sarah Bad Warrior-Vrooman, director of Wokini and Tribal Relations for SDSU. “The partnership between Wokini and the Levitt is important for supporting and inspiring our Native youth by bringing a celebration of Native culture and artistry to youth and families in the Sioux Falls region.”

“Levitt at the Falls is proud to present a festival that celebrates and shares the music and art of many accomplished Native artists from our region. We are grateful to the Wokini Initiative for their partnership and support of the All My Relatives Festival, which is an important program to advance our mission of building community through music. We share Wokini’s mission to engage and inspire youth and have used that goal to inspire the family-friendly activities of this inaugural All My Relatives festival,” says Nancy Halverson, executive director of Levitt at the Falls.