A professor from Saskatchewan uncovered a significant piece of the province’s history in the Smithsonian collection in Washington, D.C., and is now facilitating its return. Andrew Miller, an Indigenous studies professor at the First Nations University of Canada, stumbled upon a teepee cover that was stolen from the Kawacatoose First Nation about a century ago while researching birds using the Smithsonian’s catalog.
The cover, taken in the 1920s, has been kept alive in memory by the family through generations. Upon noticing the teepee cover labeled “Dustyhorn—File Hills” with an acquisition date of 1926, Miller recalled a student’s mention of their belongings in prominent U.S. museums. This led him to reach out to Cory Dustyhorn, the current chief of the Kawacatoose First Nation, to share his discovery.
Dustyhorn, aware of the tale of his great-great-grandfather Sîpiskwêsîkan’s stolen teepee cover, revealed that Sîpiskwêsîkan was promised payment but never received it. Miller and Dustyhorn contacted the Smithsonian, where Miller praised the institution for its understanding and willingness to facilitate the return process.
Acknowledging past unethical practices, the Smithsonian has since adopted a shared stewardship and ethical returns policy in 2022 to rectify historical wrongs. Through this policy, the museum recognizes the need to address items acquired unethically in the past.
The teepee cover, after a century of being separated, is set to return to its rightful community. Dustyhorn expressed that the repatriation would strengthen the connection between his ancestors, family, and the entire community. Plans are underway to establish a museum in Kawacatoose to showcase the teepee; however, in the interim, it will be housed at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina.