Takuwe: Commemorating the Wounded Knee Massacre

The idea for this exhibit is one Lakota word: Takuwe. In English: Why. The focus of the exhibit is the 1890 massacre of Lakotas at Wounded Knee, but it includes historical context leading to the massacre, along with contemporary context related to land issues and opportunities at Wounded Knee today.

The exhibit begins with positives and ends with a call to action. Over 300 Lakotas have participated in the exhibit. Twenty-nine are visual artists who created original works for the core of the exhibit. The number 29 references the 29th of December, the day of the massacre. Seven poets and seven musicians are also included. The installation includes pieces of 300 small artworks, each a 5-inch square. The creators of these 300 artworks represent the 300 Lakotas who were massacred at Wounded Knee.