Recently, 11 members of the Washington DC MSIA community gathered together on the National Mall to plant a Light Column at the newly-opened National Museum of the American Indian. Our smiles and Spirits were as bright as the clear, crisp autumn day as we greeted one another outside this unique and welcoming building.
The flowing form of the five-story museum evokes the feeling that it was carved over time by wind and water. We sensed immediately that much love, thought, and care went into creating every aspect of both the inner and outer spaces here. In fact, Native Americans took the lead in all phases of the planning, design and construction of the building and its landscape.
Our group was continually delighted as we began our walk around the building. We passed by the four Native landscapes that hug the building: a forest, wetlands, meadowlands and croplands. We were particularly drawn to the long flowing water feature along the north side of the building. Near this area, we found the perfect spot to pause and plant our Light Column. Sheltered by some large rocks, we gathered around a quiet, seashell-filled circular space (which, unknown to us at the time, is an area meant for reflection and contemplation). Each of us asked inwardly that the Light fill this sacred space and bless all those who are in any way touched by this special museum and its environment.
As we gathered for our group picture, a few of our Light bearers climbed atop the large boulders nearby. In a matter of moments, we were politely asked by a museum employee to please not sit on the rocks. It turns out that these are not ordinary rocks. They are part of the 40 large boulders and rocks called “Grandfather Rocks” that are scattered around the outside of the museum and are seen as the elders of the museum landscape.
The Grandfather Rocks were hewn over millions of years by wind and water in Quebec, Canada. Before being moved to their new home in Washington, they were blessed by the Canadian Montagnais Indians to ensure that they would have a safe journey and carry the messages and cultural memories of past generations to future generations.
Upon their arrival on the National Mall, the 40 venerable boulders were welcomed with a blessing by a member of the Monocan Indians of Virginia. This is just one of the many special stories that can be told about this museum, which actually represents all the Native cultures of the Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to the southern tip of South America.
The museum has been given a place of honor on the National Mall. It is “first in line” to the US Capitol Building, and occupies the last open museum space on the Mall. Its front doors align perfectly with the center point of the US Capitol Dome, providing a connection between the country’s past and present.
We ventured inside the museum and delighted in the gracefulness of the open ceremonial space on the first floor which features a soaring rotunda and skylight. Large prisms in the south wall ensure that an ever changing rainbow will be cast along the inner wall.
At this point, most of our group decided that exploring the many thousands of objects in the museum would have to wait for another day. Taking a cue from the Native cultures represented here, who celebrated and honored the natural world with endless gratitude, we couldn’t resist returning outside to the warmth of the sun, the brilliant blue sky, the last colorful autumn leaves crunching beneath our feet. We came here to impart a blessing, and now we in turn were able to harvest the blessings of a perfect day!
