The Wyandots

Every city; village and hamlet in America, including our City of Wyandotte, was built on Indian land. Hundreds of years ago the Wyandot nation lived along the banks of the Detroit River. The Wyandot villages stretched from Georgian Bay in Canada, south along Lake Huron and Lake Erie, all the way east to Niagara, New York. The rivers offered a good lifeway - fishing, hunting and fertile  land to grow corn, beans and squash. The village of Monguagon was located in present day Wyandotte, on the Detroit River waterfront. Through a series of treaties, starting in 1795, the Wyandot lost their land in Michigan, and later in Ohio. The Wyandots were removed to Kansas, and twenty years later they were forced to go to Oklahoma.

Today, the Wyandots of Anderdon still live in the Downriver area. Other branches of the Wyandot nation live in Canada, Kansas and Oklahoma.

The Commission

The Wyandotte Street Art Fair was formed in 1962 to pro- mote and expand community awareness of the creative arts through quality exhibits that provide meaningful cultural enrichment. In 1997, the Wyandotte Street Art Fair Committee embarked on a quest to create an artistic Millennium Gift to the community - a tribute to the city's founding people, the Wyandots. Giorgio Gikas, President of Venus Bronze Works, Inc., was hired to be a consultant to oversee this project to commission and create a bronze sculpture of a Wyandot Indian Family for the citizens of Wyandotte.

The Sculptor

Over 40 Michigan sculptors submitted project proposals and in July, 1998, after a careful selection process, Michaele Duffy Kramer  was selected to create the artwork. Her major artistic focus has been traditional figurative sculpture. She hopes to bring to her more public sculpture a feeling of accessibility to the bronze and strives for the connection between the metal and the warm human touch. Michaele has been creating sculpture for over 20 years. She began this commission in her Port Huron studio in February, 1999, and completed the clay models in December. The Fine Arts Sculpture Center in Clarkston cast the work into the finished bronze
 

The Sculpture

In her own words, Michaele describes this sculpture:
"The Wyandots were a peaceful, hardworking people looking only to continue their way of life without the threat of aggressions from outside forces. I chose to portray them in a happy moment surrounded by the everyday elements that made up their world.

The mother wears an embroidered wrap skirt, knee high leggings and moccasins. Her necklace is of shells and animal bones. The earrings and ring brooches on the shirt are European trade silver. She holds a wooden pestle used to grind the corn at her feet.

A canoe paddle tells of their reliance on the waterways for transportation and food. The young boy proudly holds  up the fish he has caught.

The father is dressed in leggings and a breechcloth. His trade pouch is on the ground beside him. He holds his daughter out to the shy fawn which symbolizes their closeness to the natural world. 

On the granite base are etched the principal plants that were so essential to their survival: corn, beans and squash. On the rear surface are etched tobacco, sage, sweet grass and cedar, the four sacred plants of the Wyandots."  

Comments from Chief Leaford Bearskin,
Chief of the Wyandot tribe of Oklahoma:

"I am extremely impressed with the sculpture, it exemplifies our conception of a typical Indian family. The woman standing tall, dignified and motherly, is a typical example of the important stature of women in our society. The young lad with the stringer of fish is a prime example of the training our young people were given. It portrays respect, pride and joy in his contribution to the welfare of his family. The warrior is a picture of strength, courage, wisdom and tenderness to the children and animals."

 

Facts About the Sculpture

Including the base, the sculpture measures 12 feet tall by 9X feet wide by 6 feet deep. It is cast in silicon bronze via the lost wax process. It weighs 14,000 lbs.

Location

The sculpture is located on a grassy knoll overlooking the Detroit River at BASF Waterfront Park. The park is on Biddle Avenue, two blocks south of Eureka.

Wyandotte Street
Art Fair Committee
( at time of dedication )   

Gloria Dunn, Co-founder
Leslie Lupo, Director
Paul Balog
Christine Neal
Ken Munson
Harold Popp
Andrew Swiecki
Karen Tavernier
Leonard Trusewicz

Wyandotte City Officials
( at time of dedication ) 

Lawrence s. Stec, Mayor
Johnny Kolakowski, Councilperson
Christine Niewiarowski, Councilperson
Sam A. Palamara, Councilperson
Mark A. Paryaski, Councilperson
Martin J. Shimkus, Councilperson
Patrick J. Sutka, Councilperson
WIlliam Griggs, Clerk
Andrew Swiecki, Treasurer
Colleen Keehn, Assessor

Wyandotte City Information

Wyandotte has a rich heritage, dating back to 1854 as an established village and 1867 as a city. 

Among Wyandotte's unique assets are the municipally owned and operated electric, water and cable TV facilities. We also have a well developed central business district, industrial park area and two beautiful waterfront parks with a fishing pier, a nine hole municipal waterfront golf course and pedestrian walk way which complements the downtown area.

Wyandotte is a proud and progressive community, a wonderful place to work, live and raise a family.

For information regarding the City of Wyandotte, contact 734-324-4506
or visit our website at www.wyandotte.net.

Related Links

Wyandotte to unveil namesake sculpture
Artwork is tribute to original settlers, Wyandot Indians  By Craig Garrett / The Detroit News
http://detnews.com/2000/wayne/0003/21/d03-20560.htm

Wyandots Return For Statue Unveiling  
by Paula Evans Newman Heritage Newspapers
http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues00/Co08122000/CO_08122000_Wyandots.htm

Wyandot Nation of Kansas  
http://www.wyandot.org/

Wyandot Nation of Oklahoma
 http://www.wyandot.org/oklahoma/

Huron - Wendat of Wendake
http://www.wendake.ca/

Ishgooda's Heron/Wendat Newsletter
http://ishgooda.nativeweb.org/ishgooda/huron/wendat.htm