'It means a lot.' First art piece planned for Lewis & Clark Landing is tribute to Omaha chief

Carved in clay, Chief Big Elk of the Omaha Tribe stood tall, a traditional roach headdress on his head, his stance and expression conveying a combination of strength and compassion.

The leader, whose Umónhon name is Ongpatonga, was among the last chiefs of the Omaha. He led the tribe from 1800 until his death in 1848.

“It’s like seeing this huge, giant of a man,” said Pappan, a member of the Omaha Nation, during the sculpture’s media debut Wednesday. “You can see the details, the veins on his arm and the roach on his head, and you can just almost feel the fur on the buffalo cloth.”

The sculpture by Boise, Idaho-based artist Benjamin Victor will be cast in bronze and installed in the newly renovated Lewis & Clark Landing at The RiverFront this summer.

But for now, the piece is housed in Kaneko, an art gallery at 111 Jones St. in the Old Market.

Victor has spent six months carving the sculpture, but conversations about the piece began years ago with the formation of the city’s Native American advisory board.

The group was formed in 2017 by Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert following the death of Zachary Bearheels, a Native American man who died after he was repeatedly shocked with a Taser, punched and dragged by the ponytail.

Pappan, a member of the city’s advisory board, traveled to Victor’s studio in Boise to ask the artist in person if he would create a sculpture of Chief Big Elk.

Victor previously created a bronze sculpture honoring Ponca Chief Standing Bear and a sculpture of Nebraska Native American physician Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte.

“I’ve made it a part of my artistic career to really study and ask tribal members what they think and hear their voice, and I try to be the hands that make something that really honors them,” Victor said.

Members of the Omaha Nation and direct descendants of Chief Big Elk were consulted on the sculpture’s design.

Victor for now has left the chief’s right hand raised but empty. A tomahawk might be placed there, but more likely — and perhaps more fitting — the artist may put a peace pipe in Big Elk’s hand.

“He was known as a peaceful chief,” Pappan said. “That was the main thing to ensure that the tribe continues to present day, that there would be a way to maintain the peace between the Whites and the Omahas.”

The Chief Big Elk statue will be on display at Kaneko from 1 to 5 p.m. through Saturday and can be viewed free of charge.

“It means a lot,” Pappan said. “Especially for young native Omaha people because they for once will see that we matter, we have leaders and its a recognition by the city of Omaha of our people, which is a long time in coming.”