Bugle is bent on the other side and missing a second ring to attach the cord.
Woptuha, also known as Horn Chips, was the medicine man who interpreted the visions of Crazy Horse and made his protection items. These are shown in my book, Chips Collection of Crazy Horse Medicines.
Until 1978, it was illegal for native people to practice religion or own sacred items. The reservation agent had authority to also confiscate items. Charles had items from the Little Bighorn which his father, Woptuha, picked up from the battlefield, including a bugle and sword. The Pine Ridge agent heard of these items and took them.
Whistle belonging to Iron Whistle
In 1939, Charles, the son of Woptuha, went to jail for conducting Yuwipi ceremonies. When the American Indian Movement took over the Wounded Knee store and museum, Godfrey, the 14-year-old son of Charles, was asked to conduct Yuwipi ceremonies. During the occupation, he took a bugle, sabre and beaded whistle from the Wounded Knee Museum. The bugle is from the 7th cavalry, either from the Little Bighorn or Wounded Knee, but 14 years apart. The sabre was for a .45-70 Springfield trapdoor rifle. The whistle was made by a blacksmith from a rifle barrel for Iron Whistle, who taught the Yuwipi ceremony to Woptuha. When Godfrey died, his daughter sold to Harold White Horse Thompson many items taken by her father.
Also sold by Godfrey's daughter was the personal pipe bowl, stem and buckskin bag of Woptuha plus an elaborate porcupine-quilled pipe stem for special ceremonies.
Personal pipe and bag of Woptuha
Sabre found on Wounded Knee battleground
Quilled pipe stem of Woptuha
Small gun barrel flesher