As kids, some of us dreamed of becoming astronauts. Others dreamed of fitting in, including 25-year-old Pacey Strangling Wolf of Kainai Nation.
“As a kid, I was shy, I was meek. I didn’t have a voice. I didn’t feel like I had a place in the world, but right now it’s just awesome to see that people can see me now and hear my voice. I get to tell my stories or other people’s stories and share other things, and I’m just proud to be a part of that,” she told CBC News.
Strangling Wolf was recently crowned the winner of the Calgary Stampede’s 60th annual First Nations Princess competition, proving that she is no longer the quiet girl she used to be.
Strangling Wolf is a jingle-dress dancer. Her Blackfoot name is Otsskoiikitstakaii, meaning “Blue Offering Woman.”
Jingle dresses, traditional First Nations and Native American regalia, feature metal cones that make a jingling sound when dancers move.
The jingle dance originates from the story of a healing ritual. In some versions of the story, the dance is believed to heal the performers, while other versions believe the performers heal their audience.
In both cases, the jingle dress symbolizes healing, which aligns with Strangling Wolf’s goal of mending the divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
She hopes her position as First Nations Princess will help her achieve this goal. However, the work she has done and continues to do is a big part of the reason she was crowned the winner in the first place.
When she isn’t dancing, Strangling Wolf works as the First Nations Indigenous liaison at Strathmore High School.
Eventually, she hopes to become an educator so she can teach the Blackfoot language and drama to youth.
Strangling Wolf competed against three other Treaty 7 contestants. She was crowned the winner after showcasing her exceptional public speaking skills, cultural knowledge, and traditional dance.
Building Bridges Between Communities
Strangling Wolf isn’t the only princess to shine this month. She will reign alongside 23-year-old Breanna Correia, who was crowned the 2025 Calgary Stampede Princess.
Both the First Nations Princess and Stampede Princess are ambassadors for the Calgary Stampede.
They attend hundreds of community and Stampede events to celebrate the Stampede’s “Western heritage, cultures, and community spirit.”
Like Strangling Wolf, Correia symbolizes community and togetherness, even through difficult times.
Cochrane Lions Royalty President Chris Connon praised her for serving as Rodeo Queen for almost three years during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“She always put everything into it. Her dedication was unmatched throughout it all,” Connon told Cochrane Now.
Like the roles of First Nations Princess and Stampede Princess, the Rodeo Queen is an ambassador for the Cochrane Lions Club and Cochrane as a whole.
The Rodeo Queen participates in rodeos and parades across southern Alberta, supports community events in Cochrane and the surrounding area, and promotes rodeos.
“(Agriculture and rodeo are) definitely some of her passions. We’ve seen that as she’s helped out with our rodeo, with sponsors, and as a volunteer with the Stampede. She’s such a go-getter. She has such a great personality, and she embodies everything that brings people together under rodeo,” said Cochrane Lions Royalty Coordinator Monique Richardson.
Correia’s reign as Rodeo Queen ended last year, but her involvement with the Cochrane Lions Club never stopped. She jumped at the chance to lead social media efforts, chaperone ladies at events, and help wherever possible.
Correia is currently studying communications at Mount Royal University and is passionate about connecting people through storytelling using visual media.
Empowerment Through Stampede Royalty
In an increasingly online world, we are more connected than ever. Ironically, this has led to a rise in social isolation and feelings of loneliness.
According to CanadaHelps’ Giving Report, the number of Canadians with six or more friends declined by 40 percent between 2013 to 2022.
This statistic is likely influenced by the growing number of Canadians who lack social skills. Let’s be real. Most of us couldn’t talk to a brick wall even if we tried.
A Preply report this year found that over 40 percent of Canadians believe their social skills have declined due to limited in-person interactions during remote work.
The report found that people working remotely communicate with others less than once per day. It isn’t just work that has become increasingly online.
More people are choosing to socialize online rather than in-person. A Deloitte survey revealed that almost half of younger people, including Gen Zs and Millennials, engage with others more on social media than in real life.
Most people who work remotely spend an average of nearly 13 hours per day staring at a screen. When they finish work, they spend more time staring at their phones or watching TV.
Social media brain rot has become a way of life, especially among young people. Unfortunately, the online landscape can be incredibly toxic.
It is easier than ever to spread disinformation and hate because there are few repercussions. In 2019, one in four teens reported experiencing cyberbullying in the previous year.
Being threatened or insulted online or by text messages was the most common form of cyberbullying. For these reasons, icons like Strangling Wolf and Breanna Correia are so important.
Strangling Wolf went from being a quiet girl to healing others with her jingle dancing. Correia showed that community values like inclusiveness can still shine even during a global pandemic.
These incredible women work hard to inspire and create safe spaces for our youths to feel connected with their communities, whether online or offline.
