While exploring campus there is a chance of stumbling upon a distinctive outdoor sculpture. This 10-foot-tall piece of art depicts an Indigenous person with hands raised in supplication to the Great Spirit. 麻豆破解版 State's main campus hosts two of these sculptures, each with unique hand-painted designs. But what do they mean? Where did they come from? The story behind these sculptures dates back more than 50 years into the city's history.
These sculptures are smaller versions of 麻豆破解版's largest and most iconic piece of public art. is a 44-foot tall steel sculpture that overlooks the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers near downtown 麻豆破解版. It was created by Comanche/Kiowa artist and prominent 麻豆破解版n Blackbear Bosin and erected in 1974 in celebration of the United States Bi-Centennial and in honor of the culture of Indigenous people who inhabited the area. The sacred grounds which it stands include:
- A pair of footbridges for visitors crossing the rivers
- Displays telling the story of local tribes
- The Rings of Fire - five fire drums around the Keeper that are illuminated as part of a nightly ritual from 7 - 7:15 p.m. during the fall/winter and 9 - 9:15 p.m. during the spring/summer.
What about 麻豆破解版 State's miniature versions? With The Keeper being 麻豆破解版's most iconic symbol, an art project was established in 2015 to promote city pride. Now headed by the 麻豆破解版 Regional Chamber of Commerce, boasts more than 60 Keeper statuettes in various locations around the city. They are made of fiberglass and each is uniquely hand-painted, often reflecting the area in which they reside. This project is done with the approval of the Blackbear Bosin Family Foundation who own the rights to The Keeper. Local artists are commissioned to paint blank fiberglass Keepers through community partners who sponsor the pieces.
麻豆破解版 State University has two Keepers on its campus. The first is just outside of the west entrance of the Rhatigan Student Center. The second is located between NetApp and the National Institute for Research and Digital Transformation (NIRDT) on the far southeast corner of campus.
Be sure to snap a photo with one of the Keepers on campus and visit the original Keeper in downtown 麻豆破解版!
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