Miss Larissa Evelyn No Braid
Little Otter (Arikara)
Crow Woman (Lakota)
2010 Denver March Powwow Princess
Larissa Evelyn No Braid is an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold
Reservation in North Dakota and a proud member of the Lakota Nation of the Pine Ridge Reservation
in South Dakota. She is a Sophomore at Kennedy High School where she is an honor roll student,
and plays the Cello in the orchestra ensemble.
She is the 16 year-old daughter of Avanelle and Ace No Braid.
Her maternal great grandparents are Evelyn and George Gillette. Her paternal great grandparents are
Mildred Holy Rock and Jim No Braid. She lives in Denver with her parents and younger sister Lara.
Larissa has two Indian names. At birth she was given the Arikara name Little Otter.
When she was two years old, she received her Lakota name Crow Woman at a sun dance. She was
introduced to the dance arena at a very young age (6 months old). Larissa has danced Fancy Shawl,
Jingle Dress and Northern Traditional. The summer of 2007, Larissa completed a four-year commitment
as Tree Girl in South Dakota. She has served as Head Girl Dancer in the Denver Indian Community
on several occasions and placed in dance contests at numerous powwows in Colorado, South Dakota,
North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Minnesota, California, and Oklahoma. Larissa competed and was
selected to represent the Gordon Weston Lodge Post of Flandreau, SD in 2008.
Larissa obtained the right to perform our “Lord’s Prayer” in Indian sign language from Tanarsah
in 2002. She first signed the prayer at her home church, Atonement Lutheran Church.
Since then she has signed the “Lord’s Prayer” at the Denver March Powwow, University of Phoenix
Graduation Ceremony, Red Earth Festival and family functions.
She is looking forward to representing the Denver March Powwow and invites everyone to join her at the
2011 Denver March Powwow scheduled for March 18-20, 2011 at the Denver Coliseum.
2010 Princess Activities
March 26
Larissa's first official appearance was at her school, John F. Kennedy High School.
She performed with her sister Lara during a Pep Rally.
April 13
Larissa received a Mile High Scholar award from the Mayor's Office for Education and
Children. John F. Kennedy High School has almost 2,500 students and she was one of four
that were selected for meeting the following criteria: "Students are selected
by the principal and teachers at their school for their leadership skills,
respect for self, others, the school community, and in support of their peers."
She received a certificate and a "gold key" from the Mayor. She is
pictured on the right with Denver's Mayor Hickenlooper at the award ceremony.
Photo by: Bernard Grant (www.bernardgrantphotography.com). Copyright photo used
with his permission.
April 14
JFK's Orchestra was invited to play at the White Fence Farm restaurant. Larissa plays the
Cello.
April 17 & 18
University of Wyoming, Keepers of the Fire Powwow in Laramie, WY. The picture was taken during grand
entry. (Left to right: Larissa No Braid, Mrs. Wyoming-Kristin Marie Raeesi, and Aurelia Guerue, newly crowned Keepers of the Fire
Princess, a Sicangu from Denver). Photo by D.M. Buck. Denver was well represented at the
powwow and won as follows:
Jr. Boys Grass: 2nd Wanbdi Clairmont, 1st-Elias Her Many Horses
Jr. Girls Jingle: 1st Lara No Braid
Jr. Girls Fancy: 1st Wakela "Baby Girl" Clairmont
Teen Girls Jingle: 1st Katrina Her Many Horses
Teen Girls Fancy: 1st Keya Trujillo
Teen Girls Traditional: 1st Larissa No Braid
Golden Age Women: 3rd Pat Roy Trujillo, 1st Carmen Clairmont
Womens Jingle: 1st Kiva Trujillo
Womens Fancy: 1st Tanksi Clairmont
Womens Traditional: 1st A.J. No Braid
Mens Grass: 1st Lakota Clairmont
Mens Fancy: 1st Doug Foote
Mens Traditional: 1st Ace No Braid
Congratulations to the Denver Winners and to the Keepers of the Fire Powwow Committee for
putting on a great powwow.
April 23 & 24
Gathering of Nations, Albuquerque, NM. Larissa had fun visiting friends
and relatives but the highlight of the powwow for her was a television interview by KOB Eyewitness
News, Channel 4. Denver winners were Teen Girls Fancy 5th Place - Keya Trujillo; Golden Age
Women Northern 1st Place - Carmen Clairmont, Women's Fancy Shawl 3rd Place - Tanksi Clairmont,
Men's Northern Traditional 4th Place - Asay No Braid; 1st Place - Novi Smith, Men's Southern
Straight Eagle Boy White Shield. Congratulations to all!
April 30
John F. Kennedy High School Indian Club Cultural Presentation.
The Indian Club
members are: Class of 2010: Casara Flores (Mescalero Apache),
Adam John (Navajo), and Lewis Pacheco (Navajo); Class of 2011: Elijah Johnson (Apache),
A.J. Mack (Cherokee), and Raymond Martin (Sicangu); Class of 2012: Violet Eagle (Lakota)
and Larissa No Braid (Three Affiliated Tribes/Lakota); and Class of 2013: Jason Francis
(Navajo/Southern Cheyenne) and Sara Wilson (Navajo/Cheyenne/Sioux). Their advisor is
Donna Stands Over Bull (Crow). They gave dance demonstrations and an explanation of each
dance style, Jason told a story, and Raymond presented the Top 10 NDN Myths. The JFK Indian
Club should be proud of their extraordinary cultural presentation. Photos by D.M. Buck.
May 1
Community Voices & Denver Indian Center Powwow - In Celebration of Mother's Day
Larissa attended the powwow with her family and her sister Lara Jewell No Braid was crowned
as the Denver Indian Center Princess. The contest winners were:
Jr. & Teen Girls - 3rd Joselyn
Running Wolf, 2nd Soncee Waters, and 1st Keya Trujillo.
Jr. & Teen Boys: 3rd Pacen Blacksmith,
2nd Wambdi Clairmont, 1st Elias Her Many Horses.
Women: 3rd Earlidawn Roy, 2nd Pat Roy Trujillo,
1st Terra Trujillo.
Men: 3rd Doug Foote, 2nd Lakota Clairmont, 1st Francis Sherwood.
May 8 & 9
Northern Colorado Intertribal Powwow Association
Grand Entry Royalty photo on left (left to right): L.J. No Braid, Denver Indian Center Princess; Cheyenne
Birdshead, Jr. Miss Northern Cheyenne Princess; Larissa No Braid, Denver March Powwow Princess;
Aurelia Guerue, University of Wyoming, Keepers of the Fire Princess.
Photo on right is Larissa and L.J. No Braid in Sibling Contest. They placed second. Other Denver
winners included:
Jr. Girls Fancy: 3rd Wakela Clairmont, 2nd Shaylee Sherwood
Jr. Girls Jingle: 2nd L.J. No Braid, 1st Katrina Her Many Horses
Jr. Boys Grass: 2nd Wanbdi Clairmont, 1st Elias Her Many Horses
Jr. Boys Traditional: 3rd Hawk Jerome, 2nd Wasaka Clairmont, 1st Matana Jerome
Teen Girls Fancy: 1st Keya Trujillo-Clairmont
Teen Girls Jingle: 2nd Cheyenne Birdshead
Teen Girls Traditional: 3rd TiLane Sherwood, 2nd Larissa No Braid
Womens Golden Age: 3rd Pat Roy Trujillo, 2nd Carmen Clairmont, 1st Virginia Allrunner
Womens Fancy Shawl: 2nd Raelene White Shield, 1st Tanksi Clairmont
Womens No. Traditional: 3rd Dawn Allrunner, 2nd Terra Trujillo
Womens Jingle: 3rd Alex Aldrich, 2nd Kiva Trujillo
Mens Fancy: 2nd Doug Foote
Mens Grass: 3rd D.J. John, 1st Dale Yazzie
Mens No. Traditional: 3rd Francis Sherwood
Congratulations to all Denver winners and very special Congratulations to Morning Star Yazzie
who was crowned as the new NCIPA Princess. Good Powwow NCIPA! Photos by D.M. Buck.
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