Smithsonian Returning Sitting Bull Items

[Diane Merkel]

Mementoes of Sioux Indian Chief Sitting Bull are being returned to his descendants, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History announced Monday.

The return of the lock of hair and leggings belonging to Sitting Bull was requested by Ernie LaPointe, great-grandson of the Hunkpapa Lakota chief who became famous for defeating Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer at the battle of Little Bighorn.

Article: ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hzDCwNZmD2YST2p7JRnV-NzWck-g

[harpskiddie]

Good.

Gordie,
some good things still happen in this old world...............................................................

[brock]

I see Diane beat me to it in posting the event. Good for her.
So this is just a quick note to let those interested know that I have been chosen by Ernie LaPointe to film the repatriation of Sitting Bull's braid and leggins. I will also try to film his rifle (which is not displayed for some odd reason) and the moccasins his daughter sold for food. The latter two items do not fall under the repatriation act so they will not be returned. The Smithsonian had a bunch of other stuff that was purported to be Sitting Bull's but Ernie corrected them and told them that they were not. I will include this footage in Part Two of the two part DVD series I am doing with Ernie entitled "The Authorized Biography of Sitting Bull By His Great Grandson".

[grahamew]

Years ago, I visted the museum in Niagara and there were several Lakota items, including some connected with Sitting Bull (I seem to remember leggings belonging to his wife and possibly some moccasins). They were unbelievably dusty and poorly looked after, as were many other items - I'm pretty sure it was a private museum. Anyhow, years later I read that the mummy they had on display had been rehoused somewhere with more money and facilities to look after it and I wondred what had happened to the rest of the collection. I know there are a lot of objects with dubious provenance and others that were made to sell, but I think there was some connection with Legare or another trader who actually dealt with Sitting Bull. God knows where they are now, But I hoped they're well looked after.

[harpskiddie]

Even if they weren't Sitting Bull's, one hopes that if they were period authentic they were protected and preserved.

I wouldn't mind having some 1870s leggings, moccasins or beadwork/quillwork anything.

I vaguely remember a TV program about that Niagara Falls museum and the mummy. It was indeed a private museum, and I think the program had something to do with a controversy over the mummy and its possible repatriation to Egypt - something about it being a royal personage.

I may, however, be mixing this up with a fight I had with my then wife about whether or not she was mummified.........................

Gordie,
see the pyramids along the Nile. Watch the sunset on a tropic isle....................................