Each pipestone cross is hardcarved and quarried by the Native Populations.  As a result each stone will be unique in pigment, color variations, and texture.  This cross was purchased from the Keepers of the Sacred Tradition of Pipemakers who have helped to keep the tradition of pipestone carving alive for the Native populations.  The native pipe is an important element to those who are Catholic Natives as well as traditional.  
 
The red and pink stones come from the quarries in the United States.  The black stone comes from the Pipestone quarries in Canada.  
 
This Pipestone Cross is currently out of stock as it will be made into Rosaries shortly so that the Catholic Indigenous Populations have the ability to have a connection between their Native pipe and their Catholic traditions.  Please stay tuned.  
 
The Story of this Pipestone Cross:
 
I think it is also important to share the story of this Pipestone Cross for those that are Indigenous as I know how important pipestone is to the Indigenous community.  The story is long, but important to understanding how this Pipestone Cross came to be:
 
I had completed my four year vision quest on Mato Paha...which is Bear Butte...in the year 2020. That year I sought to find out where I was to live and work next as my previous employment had ended.  I went to the mountain that year to seek out an answer.  While on the mountain I saw an image of the White Buffalo Calf woman extending a small pipe to me.  I also saw the image of two pipes that were crossed over one another.  After coming down the mountain I was upset because I believed that God had not answered my prayer.  He had not directed me where I was to live.  After being on the mountain for several days, I had no answer.  After completing the vision quest, I was heading to Madeline Island, but before I went there I decided to stop at the Pipestone store to just see 'if anything called to me' (the Native community would understand).  While there I looked through the cases to see if anything spoke and it was then that I saw a necklace with two crossed pipes.  It was literally in that moment that I was offered a position to work in Pipestone.  I looked to the right and that's when the request was made.  I had not made a single step away from the crossed pipes.  So I moved out to Pipestone to start working with the Native pipes.  Indeed, the vision quest was accurate.  I spent the next several months working at my next place to live...which was Pipestone, MN.  God (Tunkashila, Kitchi Manito) had answered my prayers after all.  
 
Several months later (and after learning about Father Baraga), I had thought of making a small store for the Catholic Natives.  I headed south to Pipestone to see if there was anything there that could help me start it.  On the way down I started to discuss what items would be best for the store.  It was then that the thought of the Pipestone Cross would be incredibly important.  All other items didn't feel as central as the Pipestone Cross.  When we arrived in Pipestone, Bud had set aside only a few items (unbeknownst to me!).  The central item that he had set aside was the Pipestone Cross!!  I knew then that this Pipestone Cross was not an accident.  Indeed, it was meant to be a part of this journey somehow.  For two people had both had the same idea without knowing that the other had thought of it.  
 
For me though this cross is not just 'something for sale'.  It has greater important than that.  In my view, it is meant for healing.  It is meant for reparations.  It is meant for those that truly care about not only the Native Pipe itself, it is meant for those that deeply respect and honor the cross and the sacrifice that Christ gave to the world.  It is meant to help heal humanity and the divisions that have been created over time.  So for this reason I offer the cross to those who genuinely have a deep devotion to the Pipe and Christ.  I know that those who are 'called' to purchase it, will do so.  They will know.  The purchase of this helps for those purposes to move forward.  
 
Thank you for listening to this story.  I hope that it touches your heart.  Please feel free to email me at fatherbaraga@gmail.com for any questions or concerns you have regarding this Pipestone Cross.  I am open to hearing from you.