Only Tipi of its Kind in Canada
Unveiled at The Manitoba Museum

1 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, is the official opening of The Manitoba Museum’s new tipi in the Grasslands Gallery.

This special occasion marks the replacement of the original tipi, which has been a highlight of the Museum for the past 30 years.

“The old tipi had deteriorated so badly that we needed to replace it,” explains Katherine Pettipas, the Museum’s Curator of Native Ethnology. “The new tipi is the only traditional style Dakota tipi on display in a Canadian Museum.”

The tipi project has been a labour of love for Pettipas for the past two years. The tipi cover was created by members of the Hall Family of the Sioux Valley Dakota First Nation. The cover was painted to represent the lodge of Wambdi Wicasta or Eagle Man, Elder Solomon Hall’s Dakota name. Solomon is a spiritual leader of the Wambdi Wiwanyag Wacipi, the Eagle Sun Dance, held at Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. The cover was sewn by his wife Mary. Solomon and other family members assisted with the project.

According to custom, the Hall family paint their tipi covers outdoors. However, when the lodge of Wambdi Wicasta was being made for the Museum during the early summer of 2005, the weather was so unfavourable that an indoor location had to be used. Finding a room large enough to work on the tipi cover posed a problem. A unique solution was found: Mary and Solomon enlisted the assistance of their adopted daughter Sandra Storm and her Fine Arts students at Brandon University. The design and painting of the cover became an on-campus project for Sandra’s Indigenous Arts Techniques class.

Traditional teachers in their own right, Mary and Solomon provided the students with cultural and historical information pertaining to Dakota tipi construction and symbolism. Based on Solomon’s family history and inspired by the instruction of the two Elders, the students designed and painted the powerful images that brought the tipi cover of Wambdi Wicasta to life.

The lodge, along with a number of information panels that present an historical overview, will be on permanent exhibit in the Grasslands Gallery. Of particular importance is the Dakota interpretation of the various designs on the tipi. This information was generously communicated by Solomon to share with future generations, especially the thousands of young people who visit our Museum each year. The meanings of the designs are imbedded in Dakota spiritual belief systems, worldview and language, and the two Elders took great care deciding the level at which information should be presented to the public. It was a major responsibility, and the end results reflect a treatment of traditional knowledge that both respects and honours their traditions.

Schedule of Events:

1:30 - Procession into Grasslands Gallery

1:35 - Opening Program

• Claudette Leclerc, Museum CEO – Words of welcome, introduces Solomon Hall
• Solomon Hall - Opening Prayer
• Eric Robinson – speaks as a member of the Hall family and Minister of CHT
• Katherine Pettipas – speaks on the project, introduces family and Artists, presentation of gifts
• Mary Solomon – speaks briefly to express appreciation to project contributors and explain the significance of the project for the Hall Family and the Dakota people
• Grade Five students from Sioux Valley School sing Oh Canada in Dakota -symbolizing the Dakota contribution to Canada by sharing our tipi and tipi knowledge
• Hotain Singers - closing song