Daron White Eagle, front center, has always provided a drum and/or dancers from the Wambli Ska Drum & Dance Society for events around Rapid City, South Dakota. He is seen here near Memorial Park during an event which honored murdered and missing Native Americans. Photo by Richie Richards / Native Sun News Today

National

Native community shocked by passing of drum and dance group leader

Monday, July 30, 2018

Wambli Ska founder walks on

By Richie Richards
Native Sun News Today Correspondent
nativesunnews.today

RAPID CITY - Last week, the community of Rapid City was shocked to learn of the passing of Daron White Eagle -- a leader in the powwow circle.

White Eagle is the founder and visionary of the Wambli Ska Drum & Dance Society. This drum and dance group has been a part of the Rapid City community for nearly a decade. It was through the leadership of White Eagle which helped to inspire and bring hundreds of Native American children into the powwow world.

Founded nearly a decade ago, Wambli Ska has been providing a safe space for youth to learn how to dance in the various powwow styles and was started following a ceremony in which White Eagle claimed to have a vision of bringing families to the powwow circles to help protect the culture through teaching song and dance to the large Native American community in Rapid City.

The weekly dance practices got their humble beginnings at the Woyatan Church in North Rapid and soon expanded to larger venues like the Mother Butler Center and continue today at a space provided in the Club for Boys in Rapid City.

The Wambli Ska Drum & Dance Society has become a non-profit organization and has been putting on a large powwow for the past few years during the New Year's holiday. Once again', this powwow provided a safe place for families to be during a holiday in which many in the community were celebrating with alcohol and drugs. White Eagle was proud of this alcohol and drug free event and it was well attended each year.

The Wambli Ska Drum & Dance Society has performed for many dignitaries over the years, including South Dakota Governor Dennis Duagaard and Mayor Steve Allender of Rapid City. They are also regular featured performers in the area, including a special day honoring Native Americans at Story Book Island.

During the weekly powwow practices at the Club for Boys on Wednesdays, Daron White Eagle can be seen walking around the practice space and encouraging boys and girls to dance better, try harder and have respect for the traditional ways. He was often strict with his teachings but did so with kindness, humor and respect. He will be missed by the kids who looked up to him and the families he mentored and helped over the years.