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ARLEE - The rose-beaded crown was a snug fit.

Anastasia Incashola, 16, of Pablo, was crowned the 2007-08 Miss Salish-Pend d'Oreille Friday at the 109th annual Arlee Celebration.

“I'm happy, excited and nervous,” she said after leading her first grand entry in the crown. “I'm excited that I won it. I get to represent my community for a whole year and wear this crown.”

Incashola, who dressed for her first powwow when she was just 1 month old, will act as an ambassador for the Salish and Pend d'Oreille tribes, traveling to celebrations and powwows throughout the Flathead Reservation and the country. She will speak on behalf of her tribes and help fundraise and coordinate future celebrations.

She is the daughter of Aggie Incashola and Joe Paul.

A selection committee of three reviewed page-long essays from each contestant explaining why they thought they should be selected and how they can best keep tribal traditions alive.

Incashola, who received the crown over one other contestant, wrote in her essay that she attends as many powwows as she can, she dances, she cooks, she prays, and holds leadership roles such as the presidency of her high school cultural club.

“I believe I would be a representative who the committee, my people, my elders, and my family could be proud of,” she wrote.

Incashola graduated from Two Eagle River High School in May at age 15, earning a 4.0 grade point average. Her GPA set the school record for the earliest graduate.

Now enrolled at Salish Kootenai College majoring in elementary education, she would like to teach someday.

“Native youth would benefit from having more Native educators,” she said. “I feel it's important for us, as a people, to pass down our traditional ways because if we don't, we will continue to lose the little culture we do have.”

“I have always been strict with her,” said her mother, Aggie Incashola. “I had high expectations and I never let her slack. When she figured out that I wasn't going to let her be lazy, she started pushing herself. She worked her butt off to get where she's at.”

Incashola said her responsibilities have grown and she will continue to encourage her six younger sisters and the community's women to become stronger individuals.

“I feel it is important for us to, as a people, pass down our traditional ways,” she said. “I just want to make my community proud.”

Candace Begody is an intern at the Missoulian. She can be reached at 523-5268 or candace.begody@missoulian.com.

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