Thursday, May 10, 2012

Crooked Arrows and Columbus

As we filed out of the world premiere of Crooked Arrows we noticed people leaving the OnCenter and walking toward Columbus Circle.

Columbus is mounted upon a pedestal. At the base of the pedestal are four shell fountains atop turtles. 

He faces the Catholic Church rather than the Onondaga County Courthouse.

The Doctrine of Discovery, several Papal Bulls issued in the mid to late fifteenth century, declared that any lands "discovered" where no Catholics lived were available for the taking. The inherent rights of indigenous people were meaningless.

Columbus standing high above turtles closely connected to fountains of water is a perfect metaphor for the history of conquest and wanton disrespect for people who had lived here for thousands of years.

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