Miss Six Nations Mikayla Ritchie has high aspirations. Not only is she in her third year of studies to obtain a criminology degree, she hopes to attend law school and become a lawyer so she can help her community when it comes to the complicated world of treaties and the justice system.
This spring, Ritchie is headed to Albuquerque, New Mexico to compete for the title of Miss Indian World.
But it will cost at least $6,000.
So she is turning to the community to help fund her dream of heading to the Gathering of Nations Powwow April 28 to April 30 – the first time the annual powwow will be held again since the pandemic started.
She’s selling raffle tickets with some amazing prizes to be won to help fund her trip to the powwow, where she hopes to represent Six Nations well.
She hasn’t been able to do much with her Miss Six Nations title this year because of Covid restrictions but she’s hoping restrictions will ease so she can engage in more community volunteer work this year.
If she wins the title of Miss Indian World, Ritchie hopes to raise awareness on residential schools and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
“I’m hoping to raise awareness of some issues we have as Onkwehonwe people,” she said. “I just want to share more about our home community.”
Ritchie is busy preparing her speech, regalia and traditional presentation to earn the pageant title.
There will also be a dance competition.
For her traditional talent, she’ll be doing a presentation on making corn husk dolls.
Ritchie and all the rest of Six Nations ambassadors – Miss Teen Six Nations, Miss Pre-Teen Six Nations, and Miss Mini Six Nations – will be fundraising every Saturday at 6 p.m. at Chiefswood Plaza to help fund their dreams of heading to the Gathering of Nations.
“I want to try to get there on my own,” said the aspiring lawyer and current student at Wilfrid Laurier University. “I want to be a role model for our people.”
If you’d like to help sponsor Ritchie, you can contact her by phone at 226-802-1163 to buy tickets.
You can also find more information on the Six Nations Agricultural Society Facebook page.
