Les Indiens d'Amérique

Cette grande statue se trouve devant le Musée des Indiens américains et de l'Art de l'Ouest, à Indianapolis (Ville des Indiens), dans l'Etat d'Indiana (Pays Indien) aux Etats Unis. Elle représente un Grand Chef à l'air sérieux et respectable, un « medecine man » guérisseur ou un chamane puissant. Il s'appuie sur une longue lance et écarte les bras comme pour accueillir un visiteur ou protéger un malheureux qui vient à lui. C'est peut-être Hiawatha le sage ancêtre qui a organisé la paix entre des peuples en guerre, avant l'arrivée des Européens en Amérique. Mais le passant indifférent ne s'intéresse pas à son histoire.

This large bronze statue stands outside the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis.

The name of the city and of the state of Indiana recall a time when this area was reserved as residual residence for the native population of the Americas. They were displaced from their Eastern homelands by European settlers. Numerous agreements, or « treaties » were signed between the English royal authority and the local Indian chieftains to set a fixed border. Most of the promises were never implemented fully. The settlers were simply uncontrollable in this vast country. As a result, the native population was pushed away further to the arid West and relocated and concentrated in designated « reservations ». The Indians were very angry ot the broken treaties and fought back. Resistance was broken by superior fire power.

The statue represents a man of power and authority, a traditional Indian medecine man or shaman, standing proudly and with a serious mien on a pedestal above the level of everyday life. He is holding a long staff, his social status as Big Man is expressed by his wide cloak (probably made of a full buffalo hide). It might be a representation of old wise man Hiawatha who designed a political organisation to help prevent conflicts in precolumbian America.

The Stars and Stripes flag seen here places the memorial in its modern context where Indians have become a tiny minority in their own home continent. America is a nation of immigrants from all over the world. The indif