An emotional event took place at Kawacatoose First Nation on Friday as a stolen teepee cover was returned after being missing for a century. The community, located northeast of Regina, was moved to tears as the teepee cover was unpacked and raised for a ceremony on the powwow grounds.

Kawacatoose Chief Cory (Okimow) Dustyhorn expressed the significance of the return, stating that it held great importance for the community. The teepee cover, crafted by Cory’s great-great-grandfather Sîpiskwêsîkan, had not been seen by any family member since 1926.

Recently, it was discovered that the teepee cover was part of the Smithsonian collection in Washington, D.C. In a collaborative effort, Cory, along with family members and Indigenous studies professor Andrew Miller, made a 29-hour drive to retrieve the artifact from the National Museum of the American Indian.

Yolanda Dustyhorn, another descendant of Sîpiskwêsîkan, expressed deep emotions upon seeing the teepee cover returned to its place of origin. The journey back home was a highly anticipated one, with the community eagerly awaiting the return of the treasured artifact.

The teepee cover, affectionately referred to as “moshum” meaning grandfather in Cree, holds significant cultural symbolism for the Kawacatoose First Nation. The artifact will be displayed in Kawacatoose for four days before being transferred to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina.