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Iyohi taŋyaŋ yahi - "all are welcome here..."
... in the language of the Dakota, the indigenous people whose lands Mankato is a part of.
"Unity" is at Washington Park and honors the area that, from Mankato's beginnings, has been a working class, immigrant neighborhood where Mankato's first schools, churches and medical centers were established for the community. Its flower theme represents the interconnectedness of all life and reflects the native pollinator garden that accompanies it.
The "Unity Totem" was installed a few weeks after the 47th Mahkato Wacipi, an annual gathering of nations preserving and sharing indigenous history, traditions and culture. Native Americans here and across the continent continue to carry their traditions and culture through to today despite a series of government directed extermination policies, most notably in the 1800s, the 1950s and the boarding school era.
Many immigrants have made Mankato home since the 1800’s. The "Unity Totem" features words and phrases that convey “welcome” in a sampling of their languages. My favorite part of collecting and verifying these words were seeing people's faces light up when they recognized "welcome" printed in their own language.
The totem is tangible evidence that we are neighbors and share this space.
I want people to remember that their family history is unique, that they should cherish it and share it. But, I also want people to explore the similarities between their own family stories and those of their neighbors.
We must not forget that we all have immigrant histories ... whether your family migrated here yesterday or generations ago.
Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ - we are all related.
The native pollinator plant area behind the totem is a subtle but important part of this project.
The garden and the languages speak together to address monoculture and diversity. In the absence of diversity, monoculture it is not healthy or sustainable in any form.
It will take a few years to fill out, but right away you could smell the bergamot and see evidence of the littlest bees checking out the new space! Once the plantings are established it will be a wonderful little habitat for all sorts of creatures ... and hopefully a learning opportunity for passerby.
Thank you Genevieve with Seed To Site for your invaluable assistance, happy plants and expertise!
For this year's project I had wonderful assistance from:
Megan Schnitker of Mahkato Revitalization Project
Nancy Altmann of Mankato Area Refugee Services
Doug and Monica Zrust
Ted at Associated Finishing Inc
With inspiration by the work of:
Jenn Melby-Kelley at the Coffee Hag
Fardousa Jama's work on the Somali Community Barwaaqo Organization
Thank you all for your important work each and every day!
Special "Thank You" to these business owners and individuals for their help with some of the languages: Justin Ek of Bellissimo Paint, India Palace, Africa Fashions, Massad's, Like Nu Cleaners, Nails by Jordan, Greg Wilkins, Gwen Westerman and Glen Wasicuna.
And I couldn’t have installed the garden or the totem without my best pal David, who admitted he actually thinks these crazy ideas of mine are kinda fun!
Grant Funding: This activity is part of Infuse: Artists on Main Street Mankato, a partnership between Mankato's City Center Partnership, the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (RETHOS), and Springboard for the Arts with support from The Bush Foundation.
Designed on Inkscape
CNC plasma cut from 16 gauge cold rolled steel
Rolled to match arc of top panel
Zinc rich primer, color and high gloss topcoat
Structural grade lumber, cement footings
About me:
I don't know any traditions or speak any of the languages of my European ancestors ... other than English, of course. I did, however, have the good fortune to attend school with many Asian and Mexican friends, and I have a lot of Mexican influence in my cooking!
My niece is Diné, Tó'aheedlíinii (The Water Flows Together) Clan and is always eager to share her knowledge and culture.
I am an Industrial Arts advocate and novice CNC designer. My plasma cut sheet metal creations for Mankato YWCA's 2016-2018 fundraisers centered around empowerment and social justice and I created "The Sound of Old Town" bench for 2018's Infuse!
My typical work is two dimensional, but I have created a handful of three dimensional pieces. This is my largest and most collaborative piece by far.
Thank you for your curiosity!
Julie Dempster