Centennial-old Kawacatoose teepee cover set to return from Smithsonian

Miller reached out to Cory Dustyhorn, the current chief, who recognized the artifact as the one stolen from his ancestor Sîpiskwêsîkan and recalled promises of compensation that never materialised. Smithsonian officials acknowledged that many items in their collection were obtained under practices that would be considered unethical today and expressed willingness to return the cover to the rightful community.

The museum verified the oral history after learning the original collector began his expedition in Alaska, matching the family narrative. The repatriated cover will be temporarily displayed at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina, with plans for a permanent exhibit in a new Kawacatoose museum. This return marks the culmination of a century-long family memory and a broader shift toward ethical stewardship of Indigenous artifacts.