Meet Nicole Woodbury

HHeHello! My name is Nicole Woodbury and I am the 2002 Tuscarora Indian Princess. I am 16 years old and I attend Niagara-Wheatfield high School where I am a junior. I also attend BOCES for Cosmetology. I was selected to take part in the Leadership for the Youth of Niagara County program. I am also a memeber of the Iroquois Indian Band Color Guard and I attend Barbizon School of Modeling and the Niagara Dance Center.

For this years princess contest each contestant had to prepare three speeches: 1) a cultural sharing, 2)interviewing an elder of the community about past picnic memories, and 3) a community service.

For my cultural sharing I shared my traditional outfit which I made with a little help from my grandma, Mary Woodbury. I did all the beadwork on my outfit. I used shiny and bright colored beads to catch the sunlight and I beaded lacross sticks on my outfit because I love to play lacrosse. I have been playing lacrosse for three years at Niagara-Wheatfield High School. Even though I may not be the best player on the team, the sport will always be in my heart. I wanted my outfit to symbolize me and what I can do and what I like to do.

For my picnic memory I interviewed several people from the reservation and they told me that it used to be a "big doing." Everyone used to dress up in their traditional outfits and there would be pony rides, potato sack races, rides and balloons for sale. It also used to be at a different location down the road.

My community service was something I did at my brother's graduation party. I organized a "dunk tank" and charged people to play the game and try to dunk someone. The money I made was given to two families in the community who were undergoing some hardships.

I competed with six other girls from the community. To run for Indian princess you have to be 16 years of age, you can't be married or have a child, you have to be a resident of the Tuscarora Nation, and you must be attending school.