File:Cheyanne St. John, a member of the Lower Sioux Indian Community & Tribal Historical Preservation Office Site Manager read a statement addressing Sam Durant’s sculpture, "Scaffold" at the Walker Art Center 2.jpg

English: Cheyanne St. John read the following statement on behalf of the four Minnesota Dakota communities. It addressed the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and The Walker Arts Center:

"As elected leaders and representatives of Minnesota’s Board Dakota Communities Tribal Nations,we are here today to address the recent installment of the scaffold structure. The design of which is based in part in the 1862 mass execution of our people.

We are profoundly disappointed with the Walker Arts Center and the Minneapolis Park Board that not only would you agree to host a sculpture that exploits the largest mass execution in the country’s history for unclear purposes but also that you did not first open a dialogue with the state’s Dakota nations about the potential impact of this decision.

The 38 Dakota were brutally executed by the US government with virtually no due process rights afforded them in a manner that is more vigilante justice than justice based upon the rule of law and basic human rights.

These men fought in a war instigated by a series of broken treaty promises perpetuated by the US that led to starvation and desperation for our ancestors. We will always remember and honor these men. We will never forget what happened in Mankato or the forced removal of most Dakota people from Minnesota in the aftermath of the execution.

This is a painful part of history for our Dakota people which includes the overt acts of genocide directed at our people, not something to be depicted in a sculpture garden next to a giant rooster or spoon with a cherry. Although it took a public outcry for the Walker to remove the piece we are thankful that the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Park Board and the artist Sam Durant have recognized the inappropriateness of the sculpture and the deep hurt that it has caused the Dakota people.

We are now encouraged by a deeper conversation about our history and who we are today and we are teaching how to engage with our native communities. To that end we appreciate that you have chosen to meet with a group of Dakota elders and representatives here at the Walker Art Center today. It’s important to hear from the diverse voices as you did today. It is likewise important that you meet with authorized representatives of Minnesota’s 4 federally recognized Dakota governments, Prairie Island Indian Community the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, the Upper Sioux Community and the Lower Sioux Indian Community. We are unaware of any attempts to communicate directly with these tribes until today.

We urge the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Park Board to continue taking this step to contact these tribal nations as they did today.

Thank you."