New York Governor Kathy Hochul has pledged to eliminate offensive depictions of Native Americans from the state capitol in Albany.
This commitment was outlined in her comprehensive 2024 State of the State report. The Governor expressed her intent to address the "offensive representations of indigenous people," which include portrayals of conflict between Native Americans and European settlers.
The controversial mural, which has allegedly drawn criticism from Native Americans, depicts violent encounters between European settlers and Native Americans, including conflicts with the Five Nations of Iroquois and a battle involving Samuel de Champlain.
Historically, New York was the site of the War of 1812, where members of the Six Nations Confederacy, including warriors from the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois tribes, were engaged. The French and Indian War, which concluded with the 1763 Treaty of Paris, also witnessed confrontations between Indigenous and European forces. These wars resulted in the loss of Indigenous lives and land to European settlers.
In the section titled "Respond to Offensive Representations of Indigenous Peoples," Hochul's State of the State report states:
"All New Yorkers should feel welcome and respected when visiting the State Capitol. Unfortunately, offensive imagery and distasteful representations of populations in the art which adorns the Capitol can alienate visitors. Indigenous peoples, in particular, are often depicted in artworks in a manner that reflects harmful racial stereotypes and glorifies violence against Indigenous peoples. Such depictions do not reflect the values of New York State.
"Assessments of offensive artistic representations of Indigenous peoples are informed by precedent more than eighty years old. To ensure that all New Yorkers are welcomed in the Capitol, this year Governor Hochul will commence a comprehensive review of artistic representation of Indigenous peoples in the Capitol, with invited participation from representatives from each of the nine Indigenous Nations."
JC Seneca, a member of the Seneca Nation, commended the removal of murals that depict the state's history and the battles that resulted in Native American losses. He described the war memorials as "braggadocious," according to the NY Post.
"Its braggadocious about killing my people. They killed a lot of our people and stole a lot of our land," he said, referring to the wars lost by Native Americans. Seneca also asserted that the Seneca were "still fighting for their sovereignty," and urged Hochul to consider removing a statue of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.
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