Oneida Indian Nation's Passage of Peace by I-90 addresses harm caused by boarding schools
The Oneida Indian Nation is once again sharing a message of peace with the upstate New York region, installing its Passage of Peace cultural art installation for the second straight year.
This year’s installation will raise awareness around the harm caused to Native Americans by boarding schools and recent bipartisan legislative efforts to establish a commission to address their generational impact.
Oneida Indian Nation officials said members attended the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania between 1882 and 1918 when the school closed. More than 180 children who attended the school, the first government-run boarding school for American Indian children, are buried in the Carlisle Indian Cemetery.
Oneida Indian Nation members also attended the Thomas Indian School on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation in Western New York between 1856 and 1957.
A federal report released in May concluded the U.S. compelled generations of Native American children to attend boarding schools where they experienced violence and trauma to achieve its broader goal of acquiring tribal land.
The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act legislation, which has earned bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, would establish a commission to investigate the ongoing impact of the forcible removal of native children from their families to attend these schools and develop recommendations to address this impact.
“These schools left an indelible imprint on the Oneida Indian Nation and all Native people, and they are not a distant memory for us," said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative, in the statement. "Survivors live among our communities and the trauma they endured echoes through families. We hope that the Passage of Peace will help raise awareness about this tragic history.”
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Passage of Peace: What you'll see
The Passage of Peace installation, which will be lit throughout the holiday season, is comprised of numerous elements, including:
10 teepees illuminated in multiple colors
Seven teepees represent the Oneida people’s commitment to doing all things for the benefit of the Seventh Generation (can be seen on the westbound side of I-90)
Three teepees represent the Oneida Indian Nation’s three clans: Turtle, Wolf, and Bear (can be seen on the eastbound side of I-90)
A 30-foot white pine tree illuminated in white symbolizes the Great White Pine, a symbol of peace and unity among the Oneida people
Two teepees will be illuminated in orange, the color used by advocates during the National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools and other awareness-raising efforts, to show solidarity, honor those lost to Indian boarding schools, recognize the trauma inflicted by these institutions on survivors and tribal communities, and express support for The Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act.
The Haudenosaunee people did not historically make their homes in teepees. The Passage of Peace uses these traditional dwellings as a powerful, instantly recognizable symbol of Native American identity, the Oneida Indian Nation said in the statement.
The illuminated teepees, they said, reflect the shared sense of purpose and spirituality among all who claim this identity and the need to shed light on the issues that affect them.
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This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Oneida Indian Nation's Passage of Peace display returns near I-90
