Heartwaters, Caretaker Woman - Itasca State Park, Lake Itasca, MN.
N 47° 14.407 W 095° 12.623
15T E 332712 N 5234218
“Heartwaters – Caretaker Woman” was created by artist Jeff Savage of the Fond du Lac Band in 2005.
Waymark Code: WMKYV2
Location: Minnesota, United States
Date Posted: 06/17/2014
Views: 3
“Heartwaters – Caretaker Woman” was created by artist Jeff Savage of the Fond du Lac Band in 2005. It is located at the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center on the path to the headwaters. The artist explains some of the symbolism behind the sculpture:
“The Anishinabi (Ojibwe) believe it is the women who are the Caretakers of the Water. We are to respect this responsibility of the sacred work of women by keeping this precious resource pristine and renewable for all future generations to enjoy.
“In this sculpture, a woman is leaning over, releasing a clutch of small turtles from a basket, renewing the seasons and continuing the waters of life. Her flowing hair is like that of the flowing water. The turtles, strong water symbols, also symbolize the universal cycles of life in the Anishinabi belief.
“The turtle’s round shell represents the earth, moon, sun, and seasonal cycles. The legs of the turtles point in four directions, his head points up to honor Grandfather Sun and his tail points down towards Mother Earth. Turtles show us all directions of life—they live in the water, they walk on land, and breathe air. Turtles are a strong symbol of importance of this site, located here at the beginning of the Headwaters.”
Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: “Heartwaters – Caretaker Woman”
Figure Type: Combination of two figure types
Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Jeff Savage
Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 2005
Materials used: Bronze
Location: Itasca State Park
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