Kimlyn Sneed Lambert waves to the crowed as she is crowned Senior Miss Cherokee by former Senior Miss Cherokee Judith Smith.
By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – During the 112th Annual Cherokee Indian Fair, the Little Miss Cherokee and Junior Miss Cherokee pageants were held on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 2, the Teen Miss Cherokee and Miss Cherokee pageants were held on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 3, and for the first time in 20 years, the Senior Miss Cherokee pageant was held on the afternoon of Oct. 3.
Moira George, right, waves to the crowd after being crowned 2024-25 Miss Cherokee during the pageant held at the old Cherokee High School on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 3 in conjunction with the 112th Cherokee Indian Fair. She is shown with 2023-24 Miss Cherokee Scarlett Guy. (BROOKLYN BROWN/One Feather photos)
Faith “Alitami” Panther was crowned Little Miss Cherokee. Misha “Losi” Slee was crowned Junior Miss Cherokee. Dvdaya Swimmer was crowned Teen Miss Cherokee. Moira George was crowned Miss Cherokee, and Kim Sneed Lambert was crowned Senior Miss Cherokee.
The Little Miss Cherokee pageant featured four contestants: Penelope Stamper, Mattie Awee Moore, Jaxtyn Bark, and Faith Panther. Stamper was named first runner-up after two sudden death tiebreakers between Stamper and Panther that included naming the seven clans of the Cherokee, which both contestants completed successfully, and then answering who they look up to as a role model. Stamper answered Kyla Moore, who was on the 2023-24 Lady Braves 1A State Championship basketball team whom Stamper manages. Panther answered her mother, Frances Oocumma. Jaxtyn Bark was named second runner-up and Most Photogenic. Stamper and Moore both received Miss Congeniality.
2024-25 Little Miss Cherokee Faith Panther, from Tsisqwohi (Birdtown), is the daughter of Frances and Frank Oocumma. She is in the third grade at New Kituwah Academy. Panther sported her soccer uniform for her outfit of choice, “I’m wearing my soccer uniform because it’s fun and it keeps me active. I’m wearing my goalie uniform because it’s my favorite position.”
Panther won hearts with her talent, where she dressed in a sweater and glasses imitating her great grandmother, the late Kina Littlejohn. Panther taught the crowd Cherokee words with help from her brother, Jamy Oocumma, who held giant flash cards as “Granny Kina” used to in her classroom. Pageant host Jayson Crusenberry polled the audience to see who had learned Cherokee language as a child from Granny Kina. Hands shot up throughout the crowd.
For traditional wear, Panther modeled 18th century traditional clothing, including a white linen trade shirt, a teal wrap skirt, a complementing coat, a black finger woven belt adorned with white beads, and pucker toe moccasins.
There were three contestants in the Junior Miss pageant: Misha Slee, Khloe Sequoyah, and Keilani Arch. Along with winning Junior Miss Cherokee, Slee received Most Photogenic and Miss Congeniality. Sequoyah was named first runner-up. Arch was named second runner-up.
Dvdaya Swimmer smiles after being crowned 2024-25 Teen Miss Cherokee.
2024-25 Junior Miss Cherokee Misha “Losi” Slee, from Tsisqwohi (Birdtown), is the daughter of Rachel and Michael Slee. She is in the sixth grade at New Kituwah Academy.
Slee’s outfit of choice was a ribbon skirt paired with a shirt featuring “Gatiyo,” or Stomp. Each color of her ribbon skirt held significance, including blue for her clan, which is the Blue Clan, and fire colors to represent fire, which Slee regards as “a vital part of Cherokee culture.” Slee’s skirt also featured Cherokee syllabary ribbon and ribbon with each of the seven clans of the Cherokee represented.
In the talent portion, Slee sang a Cherokee song from the album, “Anvdvnelisgi.” The song is by Lillian Charles, a Cherokee Nation citizen.
For traditional wear, Slee modeled 18th century traditional clothing, including a white linen trade shirt, a red wool wrap skirt and leggings worn by her mother, Rachel Slee, during her reign as Miss Cherokee, a black and red goose feather cape, and center-seam buckskin pucker toe moccasins.
There were three contestants in the Teen Miss pageant: Dvdaya Swimmer, Emma Maney, and Ayosta Lossie. Maney was named first runner-up and received Miss Congeniality and Most Photogenic. Lossie was named second runner-up.
2024-25 Teen Miss Cherokee Dvdaya Swimmer, from Aniwodihi (Painttown), is the daughter of Micah and Carrah Swimmer. She is a junior at Cherokee High School, where she competes in Lady Braves volleyball, basketball, cross country, and track and field. Swimmer was named Most Valuable Player in the 2023-24 1A State Basketball championship game. She is also a state champion runner. She stated in her pageant introduction that she enjoys running, even when she is not competing.
Swimmer’s public speaking platform was called, “Embracing the Power of Support.” She shared her personal journey in embracing the support she receives, stating, “I had isolated my thinking to, ‘It’s me against the world,’ but in reality, that’s not healthy. I do have support from family, friends, community members, and even people across Native Country,” Swimmer said.
“I began to think of those who do support me and wanted to prove them right instead of those who don’t support me wrong.”
Misha “Losi” Slee is all smiles after being crowned 2024-25 Junior Miss Cherokee.
Swimmer referenced “ON THE SIDELINES: Family support is crucial for youth sports,” written by Scott McKie Brings Plenty, assistant editor of the Cherokee One Feather.
For the talent portion of the pageant, Swimmer sang a traditional prayer song, encouraging the audience to participate by thinking about a family member or friend who may need prayer. She shared the importance of prayer and the traditional practice of going to water in her life as an athlete and young Cherokee woman.
For traditional wear, Swimmer modeled 18th century women’s traditional clothing, which included a white linen trade shirt, a red wool wrap skirt, side seam leggings, a white and red goose feather cape, and leather pucker toe moccasins.
Moira George was the sole contestant for the Miss Cherokee pageant. 2024-25 Miss Cherokee Moira George, from Kolanvyi (Big Cove), is the daughter of Leann Panther, and the granddaughter of Maddie Welch and the late Snake Panther. She is a student in the Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program (CLMAP). Cherokee language was centered throughout her performance in the pageant.
In the public speaking portion, George discussed the importance of learning Cherokee language, “Language is the foundation of everything. If we lose that, then we lose who we are.”
In the talent portion, George discussed different types of Cherokee baskets and their uses. Basket making is an art that has been passed down through five generations in George’s family.
Faith “Alitami” Panther reacts as she is crowned 2024-25 Little Miss Cherokee pageant. She is shown with 2023-24 Little Miss Cherokee Rhiannon Postoak, left, and Jayson Crusenberry who served as emcee for the event.
For traditional wear, George modeled 18th century women’s traditional clothing, including a blue patterned linen trade shirt, a white feather cape, and a black wool wrap skirt with side seam leggings adorned with white beads in the pattern of a spider web. The most intricate detail was a beaded spider weaving the beaded web. George explained her traditional wear entirely in Cherokee language.
There were four contestants vying for the title of Senior Miss Cherokee: Lou Jackson, Alyne Tooni, Kim Sneed Lambert, and Alyne Stamper. Stamper was named first runner-up. Jackson was named second runner-up. Tooni was named third runner-up as well as Most Photogenic and Miss Congeniality.
Judith Smith conferred the crown to Kim Sneed Lambert after holding the title for twenty years. Lambert was posed the question, “What would it mean to you to win Senior Miss Cherokee?” to which Lambert answered, “It would be the great honor of my life.”
