Lee Taylor Pipestone Artist

_{Lee Taylor has been involved with the Keepers since 1996 and}

_{also served as tribal chair of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe.}

_{Lee is a fourth generation pipe carver and the grandson}

_{of Joseph C. Taylor, a Mdewakataton Sioux Indian who}

_{was one of the only American Indians carving pipes around}

_{the turn of the century.  This was during a time when}

_{most Indians movements were restricted and Indian leaving}

_{the reservations had to get a competency slip from the}

_{federal government to move around and handle their own}

_{affairs.  Around that time there was a white run factory}

_{near the quarries making pipes and keeping our people away.}

_{The area around the pipestone quarries was made into a}

_{park to get rid of the area of squatters and protect it from}

_{exploitation.  Lee's Grandfather Indian Joe as he was}

_{know was part of making this happen.  If you visit the}

_{Pipestone National Monument you will see his quarry}

_{maked with his name (Indian Joe).  This pit continues to be quarried by}

_{the family and today it is still quarried by Lee Taylor.}

_{Today lee is retired and lives in near Flandreau Reservation in South}

_{surgery he continues to keep these sacred traditions alive.}

_{Lee is a talented quarrier and carver who is always willing}

_{to share a good Indian joke or lend a helping hand to others.}

_{During the summer you may find him quarrying stone in his}

_{pit or helping a brother or sister quarry in theirs.}

_{The disk Pipe design that decorates the background of this}

_{page were all carved by Lee.  Disk pipes come in many}

_{different designs.  Lee stopped by and shared with us}

_{the story of his buffalo disk pipe.  In this picture the}

_{buffalo disk pipe is round with the bottom of a triangle}

_{protruding from the back were the stem goes in.}

_{This pipe honors the great power, spirit and life which}

_{the buffalo has brought to the people.  The disk pipe is smoked}

_{differently than other pipes.  Several pinches of tobacco}

_{are placed around the hole on the disk, one for each}

_{person who will smoke the pipe.  The pipe is passed}

_{around, and each person pushes in their tobacco}

_{and lights the pipe before saying their thanks to the Creator.}

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