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Wounded Knee Memorial Spirit of Reconciliation an Art Quest
By walt | August 10, 2011
!890 Wounded Knee Memorial
Walters Art Quest began in 1990 the 100thanniversary of the Massacre at Wounded Knee 1890. The sculptures of the hundreds of Native American men, woman and children slaughtered that Christmas season in 1890. It is a way of making peace within himself.He say’s “ Grandfather Joseph taught us that when one has a polarity of emotions the relief comes from taking a prayerful physical action. Once that is started you are catapulted into the Spiritual purpose of the polarity and directed into the center of the Medicine Wheel to a place of Transformational Potential.” Thus Walter began his healing, that has transformed others.
What happened at Wounded Knee was a dark moment in the Soul of America. “Manifest Destiny” Americas justification to dominate and capture territory and all its natural resources. Truth is there was tons of Gold on their Reservation in those Black Hills and some white men wanted to take it. The Government Policy was to wipe out the Buffalo and other wild game to starve the Indians into submission. We “Humans” are the only species that keeps another species from eating.
Some facts many Americans don’t know is that the 7thCalvary who had Bigfoot’s tribe captured at Wounded Knee was the remnants of Custer’s 7th Calvary who attacked the Indians and was the killed at Little Bighorn. Also the Indians at Wounded Knee where on their own land allotted in the 1868 Treaty. Bigfoot’s band had escaped 14 days earlier from a Northern reservation after Sitting Bull was assassinated. Scared they where on their way to Pine Ridge to meet with Red Cloud; who had negotiated better relations with the US Government. Bigfoot and his Band were disarmed, even the sewing awls where confiscated from the women. The Army set up on the high ground with Hotchkiss 3.2 cannons were zeroed in on both Men’s camp and the separate Women and Children’s camp. The evening before a merchant wagon delivered supplies including a barrel of whiskey to the soldiers. The next Morning the Massacre began. Did you know 36 Medals of Honor where given to the soldiers for this so called battle.
Each sculptures carries a representations of those killed. “Walter says he will continue to sculpt these spirits as long as he is guide, I just work here not in charge , in fact he never sculpted before this Quest began”.
He goes on to explain,”When one goes on a Vision Quest to listen for a calling he/she sits for days with no food or water praying for a vision, a mission or a healing. A person would go in a humble way alone to lament and be with the Great Mystery day and night. Once the person takes the pledge and begins physical action ie. ties prayer flags to send his voice above, in that moment of, Spiritual Reconciliation, the Quest begins to carry him. Far as I know the record for Vision Quest is 40 days and 40 nights by a Jewish carpenter.
He continues, “Same thing for a Art Quest. An artist pledges to Spirit and hangs his/her prayer flags, thus begins the journey of mental, emotional and physical actions necessary of the artists’ medium. The artist then moves into a place of Transformational Potential (some call zero point) and is carried by Spirit along the journey of creation. This Joint Venture with Spirit may have trials, tribulations, visions, mental and emotional upheavals, insights, mistakes, peace and bliss. Animals, people, dreams and all creation will bring you gifts of encouragement and test along the way. The artist job is to pay attention to the signs along the trail of the quest and to offer it all up to Spirit.
Vision- “I would love to see the day (should they choose) when the 7th generation descendants of the 7th Calvary and the 7th generation descendants of the survivors of Wounded Knee meet on the hill at Wounded Knee for a healing Ceremony and offer up to the Great Mystery those Medals of Honor”.
His Art Quest contiues today.
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