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Teepee art near Yellowstone entrances wants people to think about Indigenous peoples’ connections to the park

A story is printed on a teepee near Yellowstone’s East entrance
Olivia Weitz
Visitors driving through Yellowstone’s East entrance can stop and read a story from an Eastern Shoshone tribal member printed on a teepee as part of an exhibit.

An arts nonprofit is partnering with Yellowstone National Park for a summerlong art installation at the park’s five entrances.

This is the fourth year of Mountain Time Arts’ “Yellowstone Revealed” series that aims to foster appreciation for Indigenous culture and tribal connections to the land.

Victoria Cheyenne is a board member with the nonprofit and is from the Northern Cheyenne and Aymara nations. She said this year, the project features a traditional teepee at each entrance, exploring the theme “How the Land Remembers Us: Tribal Tipi Lodge and Buffalo Stories.”

“We’re hoping that guests use it as an opportunity to reflect and think about the 27 associated tribes of the lands that are now known as Yellowstone National Park,” she said.

Visitors can scan a QR code on the teepee to learn more about the structures and read stories about bison.

“The connection is powerful and spiritual, and the stories that people have to tell about bison are important. They are deeply connected to the homeland of what has become Yellowstone National Park,” Cheyenne said.

The teepees are on display until early September. A closing ceremony is planned in Gardiner near the Roosevelt Arch at 4 p.m. on September 9.

Olivia Weitz is based at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody. She covers Yellowstone National Park, wildlife, and arts and culture throughout the region. Olivia’s work has aired on NPR and member stations across the Mountain West. She is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound and the Transom story workshop. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, cooking, and going to festivals that celebrate folk art and music.

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