Legal Fight Over Native American Ceremonial Pipe
WORTHINGTON, Minn. (AP) — A Native American tribe in Minnesota is trying to block the sale of an important U.S.-Dakota War relic scheduled to soon go to auction.
Minnesota Public Radio reports that the Lower Sioux Indian Community of Redwood County released a statement Tuesday saying they're looking to prevent the sale of a sacred catlinite pipe this weekend.
Skinner Auctioneers is slated to sell the pipe Saturday in Boston. The auction catalog says a Sioux chief named White Dog created the artifact, which has an estimated value of $15,000 to $20,000.
The 1862 U.S.-Dakota War lasted six weeks and left hundreds of Dakota people, settlers and federal soldiers dead.
The pipe's owner hasn't been identified. Skinner Auctioneers didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.