Reflecting on Vermont’s true role in Native American history 🤔 The removal of the Roosevelt statue in NYC brought huge attention to the way we represent history through art. We recently visited St. Anne’s Shrine - a place of pilgrimage that honors Vermont’s first church - and were surprised to find a very similar statue of Vermont’s main man, Samuel de Champlain. We haven’t heard any controversy about this, despite its clear similarities. Champlain was the first European to visit (or conquer?) VT in 1609. He was a friend to some tribes and an enemy to others, and these relationships have been hotly debated. But one thing’s for sure: he was a colonizer who voyaged to North America to claim it for France. This statue was carved by E.L. Weber in 1967 to mark where Champlain landed in VT. There’s very little historical info at the sculpture. We now have a LOT of questions: 🍁 Who is this nameless Indigenous man and why does he matter in relation to Samuel de Champlain? Which tribe did he belong to? 🍁 What role does the native man play in this art? Is this a true celebration of native history or just a way to humanize Champlain? 🍁 If this is meant to honor “good” relationships, why is Champlain standing in a powerful pose and the Indigenous man hunched down rather than seem equally strong? 🍁 Why is Champlain on land and the native man in a boat? This land was already claimed by tribes, so shouldn’t Champlain be the one in the boat? 🍁 Why is Champlain sporting formalwear while the Indigenous man is naked? Is this how northern tribes dressed (where it’s cold!) or just a racist depiction of any native person? Adding the complete history of this art - in any way - is really needed. There are a few potential solutions, like adding signs that detail the FULL history of his arrival or moving it to a local museum. Vermonters, we want to hear your thoughts. Public art reflects how our community carries our history into the next generation. What do you think about this statue?