Native American Art Installation at U of I Urbana Campus Vandlized Again

An outdoor art installation about Native American history on the University of Illinois Urbana campus vandlized again over the weekend. The director of the U of I's Native American House says it's the 7th attack on the art work.

The latest attack on the exhibit occurred late Friday night to the series of signs created by Native American Artist Edgar Heap of Birds. One sign was bent, and two signs --- directly in front of the campus' Native American House were stolen.

The installation is titled "Beyond the Chief", in reference to Chief Illiniwek, the longtime university symbol which was officially retired a couple of years ago amidst great controversy. The signs in the installation list various Native American tribes as playing "host" to the Fighting Illini --- except that the Fighting Illini name is printed backwards. Native American House director Robert Warrior says the signs pay tribute to tribes that once lived in Illinois, but were forced to leave by the federal government.

Warrior adds that if the attacks on the art installation are because of the Chief Illiniwek controversy, then it's an embarrassment for the university community. "I understand there are people in this community who continue to be upset that the university retired its former mascot," says Warrior. "And it's certainly their right to be upset. I fail to see how it is their right to engage in criminal actions against an art exhibit that seeks to be part of an education enterprise on an educational campus."

Warrior says the two signs that were stolen paid tribute to the Ho-Chunk and Peoria tribes. The Peoria tribe --- once in Illinois but now located in Oklahoma --- is the modern remnant of the Illini Confederation, which the name Chief Illiniwek refers to.

The repeated attacks on the "Beyond the Chief" installation began in March. U of I Police say they have surveillance video of the latest act of vandalism, which will be posted on their website. the video shows a college-age white male, wearing dark-colored shorts and a T-shirt. Sgt. Tony Brown says anyone with information about the attacks should call U of I Police at 217-333-1216 or contact Champaign County Crimestoppers at 217-373-TIPS or online at http://www.champaigncountycrimestoppers.com/ .

Updated: June 16, 2009