Pastor Ken
Recently, my wife and I visited the Pipestone National Monument in the southwest corner of Minnesota. The entire site is less than 300 acres. While it won’t take long to complete a stroll of the perimeter, the historical significance attached to it should not be overlooked.
The site has a dark red stone layer at a depth of some twenty feet from the ground. For thousands of years, the American Indians have been using it as a raw material to make pipes. The stone is found nowhere else in the world, and its availability is limited. For years, various tribes of Indians knew this place, and many traveled far to take a small portion back to their own place. These pipes are only for tribe chiefs and distinguished elders because they are difficult to make and materials are rare.
When a chief wants to call a meeting with his people, he’ll connect the pipe to a wooden smoking stem. To open the meeting, he’ll smoke the pipe and let the smoke ascend as his prayers to the creator. Before the chief finishes smoking, no one speaks to show respect. Then they can start talking business. During religious ceremonies or festivals, the host will hold up the pipe and invite all creatures’ spirits to join as witnesses. Native Americans show reverence to the pipes just like Christians towards the Bible and the cross.
Currently, the site is protected by the federal government, but it is still open to mining by natives. Miners must apply for permission, usually several years in advance. Once approved and assigned a designated spot, they must use methods handed down from their ancestors to mine the quarry manually. It is usually a family event. They have to remove the topsoil and chisel away the rock layer by layer. A woman who was interviewed said, “I heard my grandmother talking about this place when I was a child. It is a great honor to be able to participate in mining now. Perhaps I won’t be able to reach the red stone in my lifetime, but it doesn’t matter. My children can continue.” She has found her purpose in life, and I share her joy of continuing a legacy.
In our modern way of thinking, when we want to quarry stone, we’ll first employ sophisticated devices to explore the extent of the subsoil layers. Then we use heavy machines to do the excavation. Based on my previous experience as a geotechnical engineer, I estimate that all the pipestone in this area can be quarried in less than three months. However, for the Indians, efficiency isn’t the concern, but how an individual participates in the process is more important. While they excavate, they relate to their ancestors and nature on the spiritual level. It is about mobilizing the entire family and helping each other out. This experience is something money cannot buy.
The Pipestone site is a sacred place for the Native Americans. Quarrying the pipestone is a tradition that has not been interrupted for thousands of years. No doubt when someone is holding a pipe, he’ll think of the effort and expertise of countless people to turn the stone into the final product. I’m sure he’ll feel humbled by the long history of his ancestry, yet sense the importance of continuing the cultural heritage. As a visitor, I appreciate this site not only because of its historical significance but also because people continue to work out their living history here.
