WHERE IS BIG BEAR'S PIPE?

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Certain material possessions of Big Bear's eventually found their way into the hands of his son, Horse Child, or Joe Pimi. Some of those objects had been passed on to Big Bear by his grandfather, Little Black Bear, says Albert Chatsis.

"He (Pimi) sold most of his (Big Bear's) things - like any other Indian at that time," Chatsis claims. "He had several things for protection pieces."

One item Chatsis mentions is "a big blue bead," apparently a Hudson's Bay trade bead. "He wore that as a protection piece around his neck," he explains.

Chatsis talks about a black soapstone pipe he received around 1950. It had been handed down the family line from Big Bear to Horse Child, then himself, he claims. He alleges to still have the pipe and that is was used for many different reasons, the main one being for healing purposes. He also purports to possess Big Bear's chaps and leggings. When questioned further about whether the pipe may have been part of Big Bear's bearclaw bundle, Chatsis disclaimed any such knowledge. He does not think that the black pipe he received was part of Big Bear's bundle. So what happened to it if, in fact, there had been any pipe associated with the bundle?

In September of 1975, Macleans' magazine published "All That's Left of Big Bear," by Edmonton author-historian Rudy Wiebe. He wrote of a time when Big Bear was fasting and received a vision at the junction of the Saskatchewan and Red Deer rivers. It was there, he said, that Big Bear received the power of "the overlord of all bear spirits...the Great Parent of Bear."

At that particular time, said Wiebe, "his father offered up a pipe, and left him." Wiebe does not mention whether Big Bear kept the pipe after that. Perhaps he did, perhaps not. If he did, that would explain how he first came to possess the pipe and

how it could have become a part of his bearclaw bundle.

There have been three different versions of what became of the pipe (if there was one) that have been brought to the attention of this writer:

(1) it was buried somewhere in Saskatchewan and certain person(s) may know of its whereabouts.

(2) it was sold to a museum or individual in New York who may be willing to part company with it for the right price; and

(3) it is in the care and custody of a "traditional" Indian who lives in the Dakotas.

The latter of the three possibilities is the one which has been elaborated upon most. According to my informant, Gary Neault, Big Bear's pipe is one of four major ones that are in the United Sates, and are to eventually come together at one place. When that happens, says Neault, they are to be returned to their original communities whereupon they will herald the dawn of a new day and life for the North American Indian. That time, it is said, will be for the better.

Neault further states that all four pipes are very powerful. One of them is supposedly responsible for putting a stop to the war in Viet Nam.

In terms of Big Bear's pipe, Neault claims that a designated person has already been chosen to be the keeper of it once it is returned to Canada. The individual in question is said to be a young Cree man originally from Saskatchewan but who now lives in Alberta.

Whatever the disposition of Big Bear's pipe, a general theme seems to be that it is destined to return to its people. When? Your guess is as good as anyone's.