Kawacatoose First Nation celebrates return of teepee cover stolen over a century ago in emotional ceremony

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It was an emotional afternoon at Kawacatoose First Nation Friday. After a century-long absence, a stolen teepee cover has now been returned to its rightful owners.

Members of Kawacatoose First Nation, located approximately 135 kilometres northeast of Regina, shed tears as community members in regalia led drumming and singing on the powwow grounds where the teepee cover was unpacked and raised for ceremony.

“It means a lot to us,” Kawacatoose Chief Cory (Okimow) Dustyhorn told CBC. “I know it does, I know it does.”

Cory’s great-great-grandfather Sîpiskwêsîkan, also known as Dustyhorn, spent two years crafting the ornate teepee cover. Up until recently, no family member had seen it since 1926.

But in recent years, the First Nation learned the teepee cover was in Washington, D.C., in the Smithsonian collection.

a row of teepees — The repatriated teepee cover, second from left, was mounted Friday at Kawacatoose First Nation. (Radio-Canada)

Cory, a few of his family members and Indigenous studies professor Andrew Miller from the First Nations University of Canada recently made the 29-hour drive south to retrieve the special artifact from the National Museum of the American Indian.

Yolanda Dustyhorn, another one of Sîpiskwêsîkan’s great-great grandchildren, said seeing the teepee cover returned to where it was created on Friday was deeply emotional.

“I can’t describe the way I feel. I feel, like, so honored and proud and to be a Dustyhorn and the teepee coming home to our community. Words can’t even describe how I’m feeling right now,” said Yolanda.

A painted teepee cover made of white hide, spread out over a grey surface. — The teepee cover, which belonged to Sîpiskwêsîkan, also known as Dustyhorn, was stolen in 1926 and is now being returned to his descendants. (Submitted by Andrew Miller)

The journey home

After meeting representatives of the Smithsonian at the National Museum of the American Indian and gathering the teepee cover, Cory and the rest of the group started the long journey back home.

He said the First Nation could not have been more eager to have the long-lost artifact back where it belongs.

Cory said he got “text after text” and “call after call” from people in his community, asking how far away the travelers were with the treasured teepee cover as they drove back up north. He told CBC he kept them updated the whole way back.

“They kept on telling me that ‘we’re crying already, we know it’s getting closer. Moshum is getting closer,” Cory said.

A black and white photo of a teepee with a painted cover. A man in a Western hat crouches on one knee in front of it. — This historical image shows the teepee cover when it was first acquired by the Smithsonian. (Submitted by Andrew Miller)

He said they call the teepee cover “moshum,” which means grandfather in Cree, because to them it feels like the grandfather who had it stolen from him a century ago is returning home to his people.

At the ceremony Friday, the chief told the community he laid tobacco down at every stop they made along the journey “to ask for a good day.”

Miller, the professor who was part of the repatriation journey to the U.S., said the teepee cover has important symbolism to the Kawacatoose First Nation.

“It’s connected to ceremony that at that time was criminalized. And that led to, I think, a loss of a loss of a lot of things: pride, language, ceremony, identity. They’re all connected,” said Miller.

The teepee cover will stay in Kawacatoose for four days before it’s taken to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina.