A professor from Saskatchewan unearthed a significant piece of the province’s history at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and it is now set to be returned home. Andrew Miller, an Indigenous studies professor at the First Nations University of Canada, stumbled upon a teepee cover that was stolen from Kawacatoose First Nation around a century ago while researching birds using the Smithsonian’s collection catalogue.
The cover, taken in the 1920s, has been kept alive in memory by the family through generations. Miller recalled a student mentioning that their belongings were in major U.S. museums, sparking his interest in the teepee cover labeled “Dustyhorn—File Hills” with an acquisition date of 1926.
Upon discovering the connection to Dustyhorns in Touchwood, Saskatchewan, Miller reached out to Cory Dustyhorn, the current chief of Kawacatoose First Nation. Dustyhorn shared the story of his great-great-grandfather Sîpiskwêsîkan’s stolen teepee, which was promised payment but never received.
Collaborating with Dustyhorn, Miller engaged with the Smithsonian, which showed understanding throughout the process. The museum acknowledged historical lapses in collecting practices and expressed openness to repatriating the teepee cover, ensuring it reaches the rightful community.
The Smithsonian’s recent adoption of a shared stewardship and ethical returns policy aims to rectify past unethical acquisitions. After 100 years, the teepee is finally returning to its origins, strengthening the ancestral bond for Dustyhorn and his community. Plans are underway to establish a museum at Kawacatoose to exhibit the teepee, with its initial display at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina.