photo by: City of Lawrence

In the center top panel, Melissa Peterson, director of tribal relations at KU and an adviser to the First Nations Student Association, reads a statement from the association to the Lawrence City Commission as part of its meeting Oct. 5, 2021.

The City of Lawrence has made a statement on the vandalism of an art installation that recognizes Native tribes that historically or currently live in the area, condemning it as an act of hate and racism.

Mayor Brad Finkeldei read the statement regarding “Native Hosts” by Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds at the opening of the City Commission’s meeting Tuesday. Finkeldei said Lawrencians deeply value the power of art and its ability to raise historical and cultural awareness, challenge conventions and effect benevolent change, and they understand the significance of the artwork, its display at the University of Kansas and the act of damaging it.

“We also understand that destroying Professor Heap of Birds’ artwork is hurtful not just to the artist but to so many others who have suffered at the hands of ignorance and arrogance for so many generations,” Finkeldei said. “While some might see this only as vandalism, we understand that the impact of this selfish and hurtful act goes much deeper and reflects old wounds for Indigenous people and many others who continue to be targeted by systemic racism in our society.”

photo by: Ryan Waggoner

The “Native Hosts” series by Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds is KU’s Common Work of Art, pictured on display outside the Spencer Museum of Art.

“Native Hosts” consists of five aluminum signs in front of the Spencer Museum on KU’s campus; it was the university’s Common Work of Art. The signs name Native tribes who historically or currently inhabit the region now called Kansas. On each sign, the colonial name is printed backward while the name of the land’s original occupants is printed forward.

As the Journal-World previously reported, KU police said that on Sept. 4 shortly after 11 p.m. two individuals damaged four of the exhibit’s five aluminum panels. The damaged panels were temporarily removed from display following the vandalism. Then last week someone stole the only remaining panel, which was soon after recovered. Though KU police released a photo of the two men suspected of vandalizing the artwork, no one has been identified as responsible for the crime.

photo by: KU Police

KU police released this image of suspects in the art vandalism at the Spencer Museum of Art.

Finkeldei said the city stood with all the individuals impacted by the “act of aggression,” including KU’s First Nations Student Association and others who protested the events last week. Finkeldei ended his remarks by condemning the vandalism as an act of racism.

“On behalf of the Lawrence City Commission, I reaffirm the city’s solidarity with Indigenous Peoples in our community,” Finkeldei said. “We condemn all acts of hate or racism, including the theft or vandalism of property that holds a special place in the hearts of our friends.”

The statement was followed by the city’s now annual proclamation recognizing the second Monday in October — nationally the Columbus Day holiday — as Indigenous Peoples Day. The city first recognized the day as Indigenous Peoples Day in 2015 after a group of about 100 people walked from Haskell Indian Nations University to City Hall.

photo by: Richard Gwin

Grace Denning, a Haskell Indian Nations University student from Hoonah, Alaska, says a prayer as she dances along with more than 100 other Haskell students at City Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015, when the Lawrence City Commission first issued a proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day.

Ahead of the proclamation, Melissa Peterson, director of tribal relations at KU and an adviser to the First Nations Student Association, read a statement from the association, thanking the city for the show of support and the proclamation, saying that it is important for local government to bring visibility to Native faculty, staff and students at KU and Haskell, and Native people who live in the city and surrounding areas.

“Despite colonial dispossession, and state sponsored acts of genocide to remove Native people as stewards over this land and its elements, Native people are still here,” the statement read. “We are living, contributing members to society that bring value and insight to our areas of interest and our interactions with the community.”

The statement went on to say that Indigenous Peoples Day is one way to bring more awareness to Native people and their contributions, but visibility is not enough. It challenged the city to consider how it can partner with Indigenous communities to give a platform for Native people.

“What is most important in this moment is to increase the social, political, and economic power of Native people so that they can lead on critical issues in democracy, the economy, community health, environment, the arts, culture, and tradition, just to name a few.”

As part of the meeting, Farris Muhammad, the city’s director of equity and inclusion, also gave an update to the commission regarding its previous request to discuss an official acknowledgement of the Native tribes that have lived in the area. Muhammad said that the city has been working in partnership with a few community members and experts, including Peterson and KU professor Sarah Deer, on the topic. He said as land acknowledgements have become more common, so have concerns about their value when not accompanied by any other action, and the city strives to do more than just provide an acknowledgement.

“So making sure that the land acknowledgment statement in and of itself is not just sort of performative, but making sure there are some action steps happening beyond the acknowledgment,” Muhammad said. “So we’re working together to try to figure out, with the community, what might that look like here in Lawrence.”