Dignity: A Statue Honoring Indigenous Peoples of the American West

         
In my previous post, I included the Rest Stop on I 90 just east of the Missouri River as a deserving stop on the drive west to Yellowstone Park. The large Visitor Center here in addition to the usual such as tourist information, vending machines, clean restrooms, green space, and picnic tables is a museum devoted to the Lewis and Clark Expedition which traveled on the Missouri River through the Chamberlain, SD area on both the out trip and the return. there is a typical campsite that the very military Expedition, requested by the President of the US would have used. there is also a plains Indian tee pee and campsite which represents the indigenous peoples that were in the area. There are also several taxi dermic examples of local animals to give an impression of the natural history of this area. Hanging overhead of these exhibits is a mock up of a large keelboat that would have been the Missouri River transport for the expeditionary forces until the Missouri became to small to handle this large boat. One can climb a small stairway and view the inside of the keelboat. It is true that this is a very small representation of the local Akta Sioux Nation that lived in this area at the time of Lewis and Clark. If one wanted more information the Akta Sioux Museum down the road would provide that better.
  

      But the feature that makes this stop so worthwhile is the stainless steel statue entitled "Dignity" which is a relatively new addition to the Interpretive Center. When I saw this statue, I was almost certain that it represented Sacajawea. But apparently the sculptor intended this indigenous woman to be much more inclusive and to more expansively represent the indigenous women and the entire culture of the Native Americans of the plains.

     A Wikipedia article tells us more about this exquisite statue. This stainless steel 50 foot high statue was designed by South Dakota artist laureate Dale Lamphere, assisted by sculptors Jim Maher, Andy Roitgen and Grant Standard. An automotive paint expert Brook Loobey helped with the colors for the quilt she is holding behind her. Albertson Engineering of Rapid City, SD engineered the statue to withstand the winds that occur on the prairie and especially on this point of high ground. The statue was given to the State of South Dakota in 2014 in honor of the 125th Anniversary of South Dakota statehood by Norm and Eunabel McKie of Rapid City. It was erected in September 2016 at this Rest Area site. Three Native American women from Rapid City were used as models for this statuesque representation. The quilt she holds has a star design with 100 blue diamond shapes that move with the wind and are described by the artist as moving "like an Aspen leaf." As of July 1, 2017, South Dakota residents can purchase auto license plates bearing the likeness of Dignity.  The sculptor plans to put the name of every federally recognized tribe on a stainless steel band around the base of the statue. Lamphere said, "I wanted something that would really honor the indigenous people of the Great Plains and I kept that in mind all the time. I made the work reflect the name that it has of "Dignity," and I think that's the part of what makes it work so well."