Sharon Temple - National Historic Site & Museum
Indigenous Knowledge Sharing Project
The Hope Reflection Sculpture Garden is designed by Anishinaabe artist Donald Chrétien and sculptor Shane Clodd as an expression of our collective will to work towards truth and reconciliation. To this end, according to the TRC’s call to action #63, education is a key component in eliminating racism. For true inclusion, it is important for the community to see themselves reflected in the environment and to use shared principles of peace, equality and social justice as an entry point to build new understandings and relationships.
The Hope Sculpture Garden is designed as an Indigenous centered knowledge sharing project for the community, designed as a welcoming space inviting all people to rest and reflect upon the Indigenous ways of knowing integrated within the design of the sculpture garden’s elements. These elements include, but are not limited to: Sugar maple tree carving, pictographs, eagle feather, indigenous plans (the four sacred medicines) and a circle of seven stones. The story of Truth and Reconciliation is an unfolding narrative that invites all people, who call this land home, to learn, share and hope.
The sculpture garden is designed to support the community’s health and wellness by creating a safe and vibrant outdoor public space, located on the grounds of the Sharon Temple, where individuals can meditate and focus upon self and community care. The sculpture garden and its various components are especially important during COVID as they serve to remind us of our role within the larger community and of our mindset and conduct when partnering and engaging with one another.
The Hope Sculpture Garden’s signage, related learning materials and components serves to beautify and educate the community about the various Indigenous teachings and how this knowledge supports a healthy mindset and behaviors. The work signifies a commitment on the part of all stakeholders to support equitable partnerships amongst settlers and Indigenous people by inviting all residents to engage in this learning. The community is invited to sit within and reflect upon the teachings, physically separate yet connected through a common understanding and intent.
The process of creating the Hope Reflection Garden is one that affirms the community's commitment to aligning physical and social infrastructure with inclusivity, equity and anti-racism in service of community building.
Description
The large sugar maple stump on the grounds of the Sharon Temple was carved as the central focal point of a sculpture garden comprised of Indigenous plants and integrated teachings through various elements including symbols and pictograms. The 12’ tall sugar maple stump was transformed into a female hand gracefully holding a 12’ tall aluminum (laser cut) eagle feather with engraved Indigenous pictographs communicating our collective hope for truth and reconciliation between the Indigenous and settler communities. The carving will be surrounded by seven large stones, evenly spaced, in a circular arrangement. Surrounding each stone will be an arrangement of the four sacred medicines: Sweet grass, Sage, Cedar and Tobacco. The North side of the tree stump will be excavated by approximately 3’ to reveal the tree's roots. These roots will be cleaned, sanded and finished to provide additional seating for visitors. Smaller rocks and other indigenous plants will complete this area of the Hope Sculpture Garden.
Hope Sculpture Garden Elements
Carved Hand (Mother Earth)
The raised female hand carved from the fallen Sugar Maple Stump symbolizes: strength, nurturing and hope. It is also a reminder of the resilience of Indigenous women and to the life force(s) that shape and maintain the natural environment to which we are all connected. The sacred feminine is embodied and is honored within this carving, principles shared by the Children of Peace.
Eagle Feather
The Eagle is the creature that flies highest to the creator, thus the feather is a symbolic connection or bridge between the earth, those who are human, and the divine or Great Spirit. The Eagle, according the Seven Grandfather Teachings, represents Love.
Seven Stones
Stone is an element that represents the grandfathers. The number seven references the Seven Grandfather Teachings of: Respect, Love, Truth, Wisdom, Humility, Bravery, Honesty. These are the guiding principles commonly used as moral stepping-stones and act as the foundation central to finding balance in both spirit and community. These teachings remind all who gather here that working towards a happy and healthy self will make for a stronger community.
The Four Sacred Medicines: Sage, Tobacco, Sweet grass, Cedar
Sugar Maple Tree Roots: One half of the sugar maple’s roots, located on the North side along the East / West axis, will be excavated, cleaned, sanded and sealed. These roots function as an additional sitting area amongst rocks and Indigenous plants. The roots represent the ancestors and the many cultural roots of various communities coming together forging a collective vision of hope represented by the carved female hand holding aloft an Eagle feather.
Process as Metaphor - Preservation Techniques
The Sharon Temple shared images of the 12-foot-tall stump, which initially appeared strong and straight—a perfect canvas for carving. However, upon closer inspection, we discovered that the opposite side was severely decayed, with nearly 30% of the trunk missing. Despite this challenge, we believed this trunk could be reborn as a powerful symbol for our communities.
The trunk was carefully removed and transported to my studio, where the process of filling and fortifying the remains began. Using lamination techniques, the missing sections were rebuild, creating a carveable form. Every part of the original tree trunk was used in crafting the wooden sculpture you see before you today. No foreign wood were introduced. While it might have been easier to use wood from a different source to repair the sculpture, our decision to painstakingly resurrect the original material carried profound significance. It embodied a metaphorical journey of renewal and restoration, transforming what was lost into an integral part of the creative process—a testament to the enduring spirit of transformation.
The aluminum feather, designed by Don and fabricated by Steel Art Signs, was installed shortly thereafter, finalizing the sculpture and its narrative. It serves as a beacon, a reminder, and an affirmation that the story of truth and reconciliation remains an ongoing process, yet to be fully written. We are all participants in this story, with our individual experiences contributing to this chapter of history. How will this story unfold? What role will each of us play? How will history judge us?