"The Great Spirit told all nations to meet there in peace, and all nations hidThe pipestone quarries have been a sacred gathering place for American Indian peoples across North America since ancient times. The pipestone found and quarried here is used in carving pipes for prayer and ceremony.
the war-club and the tomahawk."
-Mandan Warrior to George Catlin
While many tribes have special connections to this place, Pipestone National Monument engages in formal government-to-government consultations with 23 affiliated tribal nations based on their historic connections to the quarry, pre-dating the establishment of the Monument. This collaborative process significantly informs management decisions and actions. Tribal sovereignty, rooted in the U.S. Constitution and other Federal law, is at the heart of the government-to-government consultation process. You can learn more about government-to-government consultation from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Consulting nations at Pipestone include:
Last updated: November 4, 2020