Oneida, Wisconsin
Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin
2006-2007
This project memorializes the service of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin to the United States Armed Forces through history. The Oneida Nation was the only of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) nations that sided with the American effort in the Revolutionary War. The service of the Oneida and other native nations was done as a voluntary effort prior to 1924 when American Indians were officially recognized as U.S. Citizens. Because they were not citizens, they could not be drafted.
The memorial tells these compelling stories of service and sacrifice. This is not a monument to war, but a celebration of peace. As such, a significant component of the memorial is the reconciliatory act of cultivation and planting. A grove of sugar maples, a significant tree to the Oneida, stand as a testament to that service and sacrifice. In addition, there are several bands of prairie grasses that populate this 3+ acre site.