After 135 years, a sacred pipe belonging to Chief Whitecap has returned to the Whitecap Dakota First Nation. Frank Royal, a council member of the First Nation, shared the story of the pipe's journey during a recent interview.

The pipe was originally given to a doctor in Saskatoon by Chief Whitecap during a tumultuous time in history. "The Riel Rebellion was on and Chief Whitecap was arrested and charged with treason and he was put on trial and Gerald Willoughby from Saskatoon testified on his behalf," Royal explained. Chief Whitecap was acquitted, and as a gesture of gratitude, he gifted the pipe to Willoughby on his deathbed in 1889.

For many years, the pipe's whereabouts were unknown. It was only last year that the Willoughby family, descendants of the doctor, began the process of returning the pipe after seeing a news story about the repatriation of Indigenous items. Royal stated, "We met with the family and did our repatriation ceremony in Ottawa and brought the pipe home. It'll be kept in a safe place for our community members to see."

The return of the pipe is part of a broader movement across Canada, where more Indigenous communities are reclaiming items that were taken or given away generations ago. The Vatican and the Canadian Catholic Church are reportedly working on an agreement to return approximately 100,000 Indigenous items that were sent to Rome in the 1920s. However, it remains unclear how many items in the Vatican museum are linked to the Whitecap Dakota First Nation or other Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan.

In addition to the pipe, Whitecap Dakota First Nation has recently repatriated a large collection of turn-of-the-century items from a Saskatoon family. This collection includes ceremonial regalia, beadwork, and other artwork collected by brothers Harry and Theodore Charmbury, who operated a photography studio in Saskatoon. Many of these items are in excellent condition, which is rare for artifacts of this age, according to Stephanie Danyluk, community engagement manager for the Canadian Museums Association.

Danyluk remarked, "It's totally invaluable. This particular instance is really extraordinary. It's not often that somebody has a large private collection that they just want to give back to the community."

The Charmbury family reached out to the association after Theodore's wife passed away, leading to the return of the collection in June. Danyluk noted that while some items were given as gifts or sold, many were removed without the consent of Indigenous communities. Returning these items acknowledges the rights of Indigenous peoples to protect and maintain their culture.

Roberta Bear, principal of Charles Red Hawk Elementary School, emphasized the importance of repatriation for cultural education. "These were the gifts that our elders used to pray for this generation that’s here today. These are the tools that we need in our community for our children to understand and learn about what helped our people. Why are we still here? It's because of ceremony. It's because of our language, our culture and beautiful artifacts that connect us to our past."

The return of the ceremonial pipe was celebrated at Whitecap's annual Remembrance Day service. Royal advised other Indigenous communities seeking repatriation to collaborate with local museums for processing and storing items. He also stressed the importance of following proper protocols for ceremonies and ensuring artifacts are stored safely.

As more Indigenous items are returned, the significance of these artifacts in connecting communities to their heritage continues to grow.