Native Profile – Erin Leigh Plumley-Whitecloud

NICKNAME
Special people get to call me Babygirl…my friend Stacey likes to call me Old Broad though…lol.

TRIBE(S)
Otoe-Missouria

WHAT STYLE DO YOU DANCE
Southern Buckskin and Southern Cloth

WHERE ARE YOU ORIGINALLY FROM
This is a long answer, but here goes…lol. I was born in Rushville, Illinois. We moved to Oklahoma when I was about 2. I spent the majority of my childhood in Oklahoma City.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW
Shawnee OK

WHAT IS YOUR UPCOMING POWWOW SCHEDULE
It's pretty limited right now… Im really busy with work and school, and my kids and just day to day life. Darian is playing flag football and Jay is playing soccer so there goes my Saturdays. So… Im staying local. Seminole Nation Days this weekend, Standing Bear Powwow next weekend, mainly around home for a while. I think we're going up to Wisconsin in March…. I'll get back to you on that.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE POWWOWS
I'd be killed if I didnt say Otoe Encampment…lol. But as far as other powwows, big powwows, I really like Hinckley and Barona is starting rank high on my list. Mayetta Powwow in June is always a blast too.

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE DRUMS:
Red Rock Crossing of course, Yellowhammer,Southern Thunder, Wild Band of Comanches, SBZ, Midnite Express, Northern Cree, Young Spirit. My true love is the center drum in good old Oklahoma… there isnt anything like seeing or hearing up to 70 men and 20 women rockin out in the middle.

WHO ARE SOME OTHER DANCERS IN YOUR CATEGORY THAT YOU ADMIRE
Ive got tons of admiration and respect for all of the dancers in my categories… But some of my favorites are Toni Tsatoke, Angela Satepauhoodle-Toineeta, Jacquie Tsonetokoy, Tesa Roubedeaux, Casee Hughes; all beautiful women inside and out. My niece RickieLynn Hughes is keen, and Alyssa Hamilton is a wicked little dancer…big girls beware…lol.

WHAT TRANSPORTATION DO YOU USE TO GET TO POWWOWS
Normally in my ride, a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer. If we ride with the folks, then we go in the 2004 Yukon.
I'm hoping to be seen in a Ford Flex next powwow season….lol.

WILL GAS PRICES OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS AFFECT YOUR POWWOW SCHEDULE
Yes and no,being involved with my boys does interfere with my schedule, but the way I look at it, my boys are only young once and powwows will be there when they are all grown up. I dont work weekends so I dont have to worry about that. And as far as gas…I have to buy it anyway… so might as well use it traveling around. I'm on the Otoe Encampment Committee too, so that takes a little of my time. They try to schedule meetings and stuff around powwows so that I can still do my thing.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC? FAVORITE ARTISTS
I like R&B from the 90's..Jodeci and stuff like that. Thats my favorite anyway…. but I listen to everything. I dig some rock, some blues, some country… i have the most random CD collection. Oh, and I love Prince…

WHAT OTHER DOMESTIC SKILLS DO YOU HAVE
Um.. i hate laundry and I hate doing dishes. But i can cook like its noones business.

WHAT’S YOUR DAY JOB OR TRADE
I am a Licensed Practical Nurse. I work at a Surgery Center. I am amazing at starting IV's and anything else they tell me to do.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN NOT AT A POWWOW
Sleep.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD
Italian food is my weakness. My mom makes amazing homemade Beef and Noodles too. As far as Native food, i love me some squash & corn, meat gravy, and Wild Rice Soup.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT LOOK UP TO YOU
Be who you are. God made you the way He wanted you to be. Dont listen to the negative things that people say because there is always someone who wants to drag you down. Smile often. Kill people with kindness, but dont let people run over you. Listen to your elders… learn your tribal ways. Know why you are dressed in a certain fashion, know meanings…ask tons of questions. One day its going to be up to the younger generation now to know these things. Better start now.

HOW ABOUT BEST DANCING ADVICE
Dance till it hurts. If it doesn't hurt any more, then you aren't doing it right. Dance every song possible.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE POWWOW MOMENT
We were at a powwow in Lawton when Darian was a baby… he was in diapers and wasnt feeling good. Right before my contest he had the most disgusting diarrhea ever… all over the skirt of my buckskin. We cleaned and cleaned and cleaned with everything in the place…. but when it came to contest time, you couldnt see or smell a thing!!

POWWOW PET PEEVES
People are going to hate me for saying this… but i dont like seeing people just sitting around in their outfits when its intertribal time. if you came to dance, then why arent you dancing?

THINGS YOU WISH YOU COULD TAKE OUT OF POWWOWS
Politics and gossip… but thats half of the reason people powwow…lol.

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OR WANT TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT YOURSELF
I'm not as mean as I look. I love to laugh, and I would do anything for any one of my true friends. I've made a lot of mistakes and done a lot of things that I'm not proud of, but I am happy with the person I am now. My family and I are good people… and my boys are the center of my world. And I'm still working on my new stuff… so lookout…i'm joking.

Last Updated on December 13, 2023 by Paul G