Overlooking the Missouri River, near Interstate 90, sits Dignity, a 50-foot other-worldly statue erected by South Dakota artist Dale Lamphere. Erected in 2016, Dignity is composed of stainless steel with pivoting blue diamonds that illuminate the night skies. The sculpture honors the culture of the Lakota and Dakota peoples, especially indigenous women, while representing honesty, generosity and bravery. Dignity (of Earth and Sky) is an enduring tribute to the inter-relationship between earth, sky, and people who share a belief that humanity is sacred.

            Tall and stately with the beauty and strength of a warrior princes, Dignity holds a star guilt behind her back. Star quilts were usually given as part of the ceremonial life and are used to signal respect and admiration. Only those that are highly revered are bestowed with a star quilt. Men typically receive the honor, yet here stands Dignity, her head held high, proudly displaying her star.

           

 

1 thought on “DIGNITY

  1. Pat Walters-Lowery says:

    My book club just finished reading “The Lakota Way,” so this statue resonated with me. I would love to see the statue Dignity in person, walk the sacred lands and trails, and learn more about the Lakota and Dakota people. This statue is absolutely beautiful.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes:

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>