Oklahoma Route 66's The Guardian
The Oklahoma State Capitol lies on Route 66. It was domeless till 2002. Standing proud on top of the dome is 22-foot-tall (that's including the height of the spear) statue called "The Guardian." At the time the statue was hoisted into place, I had watched part of the ceremony, but not all. Enoch Kelly Haney, the Native American sculptor and now former state senator, spoke at length as The Guardian, giving voice to his stance and thoughts. I found the words quite moving.
I've never found a complete transcript of the speech, only portions. but I thought I'd share them with you - so on your next trip along Oklahoma 66, as you see The Guardian, you can understand what it symbolizes. If you choose to tour the Capitol, there is a smaller version inside so you can see him up close. There are also various web sites you can visit - simply Google The Guardian or Oklahoma State Capitol Dome.
Excerpt of Haney’s speech before the statue was raised to the top of the dome:
I am the Guardian. Some think my journey began on May 2, 2002, when I was taken from the Crucible Foundry in Norman, Oklahoma and arrived here in Oklahoma City... and then on the State Capitol about a week ago... but my journey began in the 1830s with the passage of the Indian Removal Act. Thousands and thousands of us were marched half-way across this country; thousands died along the way. But we rebuilt our lives, our families and our nations here.
Through the years we were joined by others; their ancestors came from every corner of the world; but they came here and joined as we all worked to build a new life in this land of red earth.
The years to come were not easy; there were wars; wars pitting brother against brother, tribe against tribe, and ultimately nations against nations. Throughout the years, thousands of Oklahomans have given their lives defending this country; they died in Europe, in Asia and in mountains and deserts thousands of miles away; but they all died so that we could live free, they fought for their fellow Oklahomans, they fought for America. I will guard their memory always.
Our young state has faced many adversities; for some it was too much, and they moved on … but for most of us, this red earth was now our home, even when the very earth itself seemed to turn against us, we refused to be moved; we survived the dustbowl that will never be forgotten by those who lived through it; we have survived floods and storms, and in 1999 one of the worst tornadoes ever recorded on the face of the planet. But we survived; and we reached out our hands and helped one another and we stood our ground. And when hate and evil struck our state in 1995 at the Murrah Federal Building; we proved to the world how strong our spirit was; and we showed that good is always stronger than evil. We stood our ground.
And soon, I will be raised to the top of this Capitol Building…inside are many guardians of this state. Our Governor, our legislators, our judges; they all are charged with a very sacred task of being the guardians of Oklahoma…a state that is nearing its first centennial. And I will stand guard here, over our great state, over our majestic land, over our values. My lance pierces my legging and is planted in the ground. I will not be moved from my duty, from my love of Oklahoma and all of its people; people who came from far and near, people who have withstood adversities and hardships, and still stand strong and proud. I will stand my ground, and I will not be moved. From this day on, I will stand guard, I will stand strong and be proud of Oklahoma, our home.”
“Dream big Oklahoma. Work hard. Believe deeply; for this is just the beginning. Let us all rise to our potential,” Haney said as he became the last person to stand on the base of the statue, which was on display at the Capitol for Oklahomans to see and touch for six days before Friday’s ceremony.
From The Smithsonian Inventory Page:
"Atop the dome of the Oklahoma State Capitol stands a bronze figure of a Native American holding a spear in his right hand and a circular shield in his left hand. The shield features a cross mark symbolizing the four directions, four seasons, and four cycles of life. The number four is a sacred number, and for that reason, the artist placed four feathers at the bottom of the shield. Around the figure's neck there are three rings of beads with a shell in the center. Around the figure's waist is a strap, which hangs down along his leggings and rests on the ground, where it is stuck to the ground with his spear. Staking oneself to the ground was an indication of bravery in the face of insurmountable odds. The figure does not represent any particular tribe, but depicts the themes and traditions from several Indian nations at a time before Europeans arrived."
I've never found a complete transcript of the speech, only portions. but I thought I'd share them with you - so on your next trip along Oklahoma 66, as you see The Guardian, you can understand what it symbolizes. If you choose to tour the Capitol, there is a smaller version inside so you can see him up close. There are also various web sites you can visit - simply Google The Guardian or Oklahoma State Capitol Dome.
Excerpt of Haney’s speech before the statue was raised to the top of the dome:
I am the Guardian. Some think my journey began on May 2, 2002, when I was taken from the Crucible Foundry in Norman, Oklahoma and arrived here in Oklahoma City... and then on the State Capitol about a week ago... but my journey began in the 1830s with the passage of the Indian Removal Act. Thousands and thousands of us were marched half-way across this country; thousands died along the way. But we rebuilt our lives, our families and our nations here.
Through the years we were joined by others; their ancestors came from every corner of the world; but they came here and joined as we all worked to build a new life in this land of red earth.
The years to come were not easy; there were wars; wars pitting brother against brother, tribe against tribe, and ultimately nations against nations. Throughout the years, thousands of Oklahomans have given their lives defending this country; they died in Europe, in Asia and in mountains and deserts thousands of miles away; but they all died so that we could live free, they fought for their fellow Oklahomans, they fought for America. I will guard their memory always.
Our young state has faced many adversities; for some it was too much, and they moved on … but for most of us, this red earth was now our home, even when the very earth itself seemed to turn against us, we refused to be moved; we survived the dustbowl that will never be forgotten by those who lived through it; we have survived floods and storms, and in 1999 one of the worst tornadoes ever recorded on the face of the planet. But we survived; and we reached out our hands and helped one another and we stood our ground. And when hate and evil struck our state in 1995 at the Murrah Federal Building; we proved to the world how strong our spirit was; and we showed that good is always stronger than evil. We stood our ground.
And soon, I will be raised to the top of this Capitol Building…inside are many guardians of this state. Our Governor, our legislators, our judges; they all are charged with a very sacred task of being the guardians of Oklahoma…a state that is nearing its first centennial. And I will stand guard here, over our great state, over our majestic land, over our values. My lance pierces my legging and is planted in the ground. I will not be moved from my duty, from my love of Oklahoma and all of its people; people who came from far and near, people who have withstood adversities and hardships, and still stand strong and proud. I will stand my ground, and I will not be moved. From this day on, I will stand guard, I will stand strong and be proud of Oklahoma, our home.”
“Dream big Oklahoma. Work hard. Believe deeply; for this is just the beginning. Let us all rise to our potential,” Haney said as he became the last person to stand on the base of the statue, which was on display at the Capitol for Oklahomans to see and touch for six days before Friday’s ceremony.
From The Smithsonian Inventory Page:
"Atop the dome of the Oklahoma State Capitol stands a bronze figure of a Native American holding a spear in his right hand and a circular shield in his left hand. The shield features a cross mark symbolizing the four directions, four seasons, and four cycles of life. The number four is a sacred number, and for that reason, the artist placed four feathers at the bottom of the shield. Around the figure's neck there are three rings of beads with a shell in the center. Around the figure's waist is a strap, which hangs down along his leggings and rests on the ground, where it is stuck to the ground with his spear. Staking oneself to the ground was an indication of bravery in the face of insurmountable odds. The figure does not represent any particular tribe, but depicts the themes and traditions from several Indian nations at a time before Europeans arrived."
So when you travel Route 66 and swing by the State Capitol Building in Oklahoma City, be sure to look upward at The Guardian - and pray for peace and wisdom.