National Native American Veterans Memorial
Written by Jacob F.
Located nearly a football field’s length from the steps of the United States Capitol, the National Native American Veterans Memorial is easily found on the grounds of the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of the American Indian.
Easily accessed from both Maryland Avenue SW and the famed National Mall, the memorial is located adjacent to the visitors’ entrance to the museum, behind circular stone benches commonly claimed by local government employees and tourists resting during their lunch break or a hike along the National Mall, respectively.
Opened to the public on November 11, 2020, the memorial is one of the newest Washington, D.C. tributes to our nations’ many selfless servants who put their lives on the line in order to defend our freedom, as well as democracy across the globe. This tribute is long overdue, unintentionally reflecting a history of perpetual harmful national oblivion toward Native American sacrifices and patriotism despite having suffered generational cultural violence. In fact, “Native Americans have served in the U.S. military in every major conflict… from the battlefields of the Revolutionary War, to the beaches of Normandy on D-Day to the front lines of today,” according to The United Service Organizations Inc., though not until now have we, as a nation, recognized such heroism on a public, national scale.
Moving through the circular stone seating across from the aforementioned visitors’ entrance, a stone wall marks the beginning of the memorial. Depicting the seal of each of the United States’ military branches, this memorial “recognizes for the first time on a national scale the enduring and distinguished service of Native Americans in every branch of the US military,” according to the Smithsonian Institute.
Despite its close proximity to some of the busiest, most critical federal government institutions, the Memorial remains cozily tucked in native shrubbery – home to native insect, fish, and animal species – thereby offering visitors a relatively quiet oasis from the hustle-and-bustle of the nation’s capital.
Encapsulated by the native flora and fauna, the memorial encourages visitors to imagine what the now powerful 100 square-mile District of Columbia had looked and felt like prior to colonial settlement, and a transformation into the bureaucratic powerhouse that has too often neglected the rights and culture of the native inhabitants of America’s lands. This physical and metaphorical juxtaposition symbolizes both the patriotism and selfless sacrifice of indigenous veterans better than any stone sculpture or an ornate reflection pool otherwise could. The interactive nature of this environmentally transient memorial highlights a deeper historical reference, a layer of complexity critical in contextualizing Native Americans’ service to our nation. As such, the proximity of the physical memorial with respect to the native species symbolizes this service, offering visitors a chance for bth self-reflection and interpretation of the sacrifices made by these indigenous peoples, despite historical neglect, and worse, bureaucratically perpetuated harm.
Moving through the thick foliage, visitors are surrounded by the sounds of frogs croaking from the small, algae saturated pond, buzzing insects swirling from bush to bush, and the distant sounds of cars and bikers that might very well be mistaken for the waves or rushing water hitting the shores of the Potomac.
At the end of a short stone path, flanked by native plant species, visitors reach the physical aspect of the memorial.
“Commissioned by Congress in 2013,” the memorial is intentionally interactive, thereby offering a diversity of experiences and lessons for those who make an effort to visit the special site, states the former Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, Kevin Gover.
Designed and built by Harvey Pratt of the “Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma,” the interactive memorial titled Warriors’ Circle of Honor, features an “elevated stainless-steel circle balanced on an intricately carved stone drum,” states the Smithsonian Institute.
The shape of a circle represents many, yet related ideas in Native American culture. As stated by representatives of various tribes, including the Sioux people, circles represent the cyclical aspect of nature, from the passing of days, changing of seasons, harvesting of crops, and perhaps more salient with respect to this memorial, the cycle of life and death. The “intricately carved stone drum” upon which the steel ring is balanced represents the “spiritual guardian” of traditional music and culture, according to the non-profit Running Strong for American Indian Youth. Additionally, the stone drum is covered in continuously-flowing running water, incorporated for Native visitors’ use during ceremonial practices the Smithsonian Institute encourages to take place at the memorial, according to the Institute’s website.
When describing his approach toward constructing the memorial, Harvey Pratt describes that ceremonial similarities would allow members of all the nation’s hundreds of tribes the opportunity to connect and relate. Despite their differences, the values the tribes assign to symbols and nature, he contends, helps bring native populations together. To this end, the memorial was built as intentionally interactive.
Central to this concept was the aforementioned incorporation of water into the physical structure, itself, as well as the circular benches surrounding the stone drum below the steel, balanced ring. Though, perhaps most intriguing to me, and seemingly the other visitors, are the four lances erected around these benches.
These lances are strategically placed according to four directions, Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, and Northwest, each with a different colors painted on its feathers. Pratt states that the Southeast, in white, represents a “new beginning,” the Southwest, draped in red, is symbolic of “where the Creator lives,” the Northwest, in yellow, represents “Mother Earth,” and the Northeastern lance, in black, represents “our ancestors.”
Connected to the base of these lances are steel rings, allowing individuals to tie prayer cloths. These prayer cloths represent prayers said by an individuals’ loved ones. Tied to the lances in each of the directions, Pratt states that as the wind blows the prayer cloths, the prayers are carried toward the spirit of the “loved ones.”
As I moved through the memorial, I noticed speakers within the bushes, playing tribal music. These speakers add to the history of thirteen native tribes, with each of their respective music playing on a continuously loop throughout the memorial, according to the memorial’s website.
Below, I attached a link to a video I recorded at the memorial in order to offer greater perspective into what a visit to the memorial is like. Note the lances, the steel ring upon the stone-carved drum, and the surrounding foliage reflective of the surrounding natural environment.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS0v0-i7UYY
For Further Learning:
I encourage those who have taken the time to read my blog post to learn more about Native American history, the sacrifices generations of indigenous Americans have contributed to the sustainability and strengthening of our democracy, and the remarkable nature of their service. Below are a few links that offer more information on Native American history along the Potomac, Native American contributions to our armed services, and additional information regarding the memorial itself.
This video represented the virtual official opening of the National Native Americans Veteran Memorial, given that the memorial had opened in November of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Th video offers perspectives from the Indigenous community on the importance of this memorial, and the symbolism represented by the memorial. Featured in the 17-minute video are the former Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, Kevin Gover; the artist of the structure, Harvey Pratt; and Congresswoman Sharice Davids (JD ’10) of Kansas who is both a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and an alumna of Cornell University’s Law School.
This article outlines the importance of water to Native American culture, offering insight into why this memorial incorporates water as a means of encouraging interaction and ceremonies at the location.
Outlining the history of Native American service in the armed forces, this article is valuable in providing great insight into the sacrifices made by Indigenous communities throughout American history.
Visiting Harvey Pratt’s personal website offers great insight into Native American art and important symbols recognized throughout Native American culture. Pratt’s design for the memorial was selected unanimously “from among more than 120 submissions,” and his attention to detail and care for memorializing Indigenous history is certainly reflected not only in the memorial I focused on in this blog post, but similarly, throughout all of his work.
Native Landscape at the National Museum of the American Indian
I also encourage you to check out the intention placement of native species and gardens surrounding this Smithsonian museum. This link helps make sense of which species where incorporated, and why, while giving insight into the design and intended impact of placement.
https://americanindian.si.edu/visit/washington/nnavm
Finally, this article, provided by the Smithsonian Institute offers general information on the memorial itself. Providing historical and artistic background critical to interpreting the memorial, this link is a must-visit for those looking to check out the National Native Americans Veterans Memorial for themselves.