Why not a statue of John Wayne?
It would seem that on top of all the other indignities (including genocide) perpetrated on Native Americans, putting a romanticized statute of a chief from an eastern tribe in front of the state capitol would be the capping insult.The bronze image of Massachusetts Indian chief Massasoit — a "good Indian," being both a friend to the Pilgrims and dead — will soon resume its lookout at the restored Capitol.
The Tribune's Rosemary Winters explores why the place of honor isn't held by a Ute, Navajo, Goshute or other tribe of Utah.
Short answer: The Massasoit statue is the work of the same artist who did the Angel Moroni on the Salt Lake temple.
Forrest Cuch, director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, thinks Ute Chief Black Hawk (pictured above) would be more appropriate. Black Hawk united starving Utes, Paiutes and Navajos during the Black Hawk War in the 1860s to kick some serious pioneer butt.
Dream on, Forrest.
3 Comments:
Umm...I think you mean "Why not a statue of John Wayne?"
I think John Wayne would be a perfect addition to the capitol steps. After all it was him that said in regards to the Indian:
"I don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves. "
Now that takes balls to say!
Anyone interested should pick up Utah's Black Hawk War by John A. Peterson. (UofU Press, 1988) Excellent book about the conflict.
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