Hear the echoes of history and healing right here at the Accord Native Garden Sculpture. This space is more than just art. It’s a tribute to the Dakota language and a place for reflection.
The Accord Native Garden Sculpture stands where the controversial “Scaffold” once stood. That piece recalled a painful moment. Thirty-eight Dakota men were wrongly executed in Mankato in 1862. It was the largest mass execution in U.S. history.
Native artist Angela Two Stars created this new sculpture. She hoped to reclaim the land and narrative with something positive. The Walker Art Center commissioned her work. It is the first public artwork by a Native artist in the garden.
Two Stars is a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. She said having a visible Native presence here is significant. Language, for her, is part of healing cultural and historical issues. These issues have plagued Native Americans.
Okciyapi is the name of this sculpture. It means “help each other.” This advice was shared by Two Stars’ grandfather. Orson Bernard and other elders worked to keep the Dakota language alive. She was inspired by their legacy.
Concrete benches create rings. They are like the ripple effect of a water drop. A fountain sits in the middle. It nods to Minnesota’s name. The name comes from the Dakota phrase Mni Sóta Maḳoce. It means “the land where the water reflects the clouds.”
Each word on the sculpture tells a story. Visitors can scan a QR code to hear each word. The Dakota language is deeply connected to identity. It connects to culture, ceremony, and songs.
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden has a rich history. Thomas Lowry donated this land to the Park Board in 1906. Lowry was a real-estate magnate. He headed the Minneapolis Street Railway Co.
In 1913, Theodore Wirth proposed a formal garden. It coincided with a florists’ convention. Wirth also designed the Lyndale Park Rose Garden. It is the second-oldest public rose garden in the U.S.
The Armory Garden was a hit. It lasted for over 50 years. In 1967, the Kenwood Garden met its demise. This was due to the I-94 highway project.
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is part of Parade Park. It was once used for military drills. Soldiers trained at the adjacent Armory here.
Today, the Accord Native Garden Sculpture offers a space for healing. It also preserves history. It’s a place where the Dakota language can be celebrated. It is right in the heart of Minneapolis.