Components of an indigenous learning garden
Three Artistic Perspective Views of the Space
Staying true to our educational goals, we want the Indigenous Learning Garden to function as an outdoor classroom. We have been in conversation with faculty to find out what they would like to see in the garden so they can incorporate it into their curricula. Outlined here are the various components of our outdoor learning garden.
The Lodge
The most striking component of the artistic concept is the lodge featured in the middle. The lodge will be constructed from sealed and treated copper panels telling a history of North America’s indigenous peoples moving from the past into the future. Because the nature of nature is ever changing, these panels are able to be updated or replaced. Here is where we need the most help in determining how regional Native peoples would like to be represented, and the history they would like to make known. We chose this design for the lodge to honor the Dakota people because this was their traditional homeland. The entrance of the lodge will face east and has a stained concrete floor with more imagery and text. Solar powered lighting centered within the flooring would be used to signify the fire within. The entire structure rests upon a turtle mound, echoing Mississippian mound building cultures.
The Statue
The Statue End of the Trail is what spurred the entire project. We would like to pay homage to both the donor and artist, both born in Winona, while creating this project. We hope moving it to a less prominent placement in the context of the Indigenous Learning Garden will allow us to teach from it, rather than leaving it up to interpretation. The statue will be facing the west towards the end of the day and we hope to find a companion statue called Appeal to the Great Spirit to face east, greeting the sun. (This is a new idea, and not featured in this set of designs).
Seating and Performance Area
The seating will accommodate classroom uses and be a place for students to relax, study, and meditate. It will also feature an area for a drum and its keepers to hold space when on campus.
Landscaping
The water feature ties in with a cascading fountain originating from the Performing Arts Center (west across the sidewalk), To represent the Mississippi River and tie the piece into the fabric of the campus. Additionally there are four headstones which align with the four cardinal directions. The plants planted will all be indigenous and traditional medicinal plants that can be studied and classified by the Winona State University’s biology department. There is an existing gingko tree which we plan on keeping, because though it is not indigenous to North America, it is indigenous to somewhere and opens the classroom for a dialogue concerning indigenous peoples globally. All life is sacred, and it is not sustainable to remove a tree already in existence.
*All updates will be reflected within this website as progress is made