- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
Two defendants publicly apologized on Saturday, Dec. 10, for stealing a panel of an outdoor Native American art installation on the University of Kansas campus last year.
The piece, “Native Hosts,” Hock E Aye Vi Edgar Heap of Birds (Cheyenne, Arapaho), consisted of five metal panels that include the names of the Kaw, Potawatomi, Ioway, Ne Me Ha Ha Ki, and Kickapoo tribes. The theft came just weeks after four panels in the installation were vandalized in an unrelated incident by two defendants in September 2021. Within a day, KUPD recovered and returned to the panel to the university’s Spencer Museum of Art.
John Wichlenski and Samuel McKnight, both 23, faced charges of theft of a value of at least $1,500 but less than $25,000 — level-9 felonies. The defendants agreed to diversions, and as a part of their diversion agreements, both participated in a restorative justice circle facilitated by Building Peace that included representatives from Spencer Museum and KU’s First Nations Student Association (FNSA)
Before the presentation, Spencer Museum of Art Director Saralyn Reece Hardy spoke about “Native Hosts,” noting their thought-provoking design, utilizing the names of tribes who once occupied Kansas before they were displaced.
Native American Student Success Coordinator Lori Hasselman opened the public apology at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, to a crowd gathered at the site of the theft in front of The Spencer Museum of Art.
“Restoration is tough,” Hasselman said in her opening statements, “It’s difficult, and it is not easy and it is also very beautiful at the same time. It is having a hard conversation; for some of us, it is confronting trauma.”
Wichlenski spoke first, followed by McKnight.
“To the artist Mr. Edgar Heap of Birds, the indigenous students of KU, Haskell University, the broader indigenous communities, the Spencer Art Museum, and anyone who felt the ripple effect from the situation,” Wichlenski said.
McKnight noted the restorative circle worked with the defendants to create a plan to further their education of indigenous culture.
“We are very appreciative of this group for providing such a great outlet and platform for a very productive and unifying conversation at the restorative circle. We are beyond grateful for the opportunity to continue working with this group to spread awareness of indigenous history and culture moving forward.”
Wichlenski and McKnight’s remarks were followed by a Kickapoo tobacco song sung by KU student Tweesna Rose Mills. As well, members of KU’s FNSA spoke about the healing process and encouraged the crowd to be inspired by the grace and strength of KU’s indigenous students who spearheaded the restoration process.
“I found my Indigenous identity here in KU... to me, to have instantaneous inclusivity in the Indigenous community is such a huge blessing,” D’Arlyn Bell (Cherokee Nation), a public administration and law & society scholar in KU’s School of Public Affairs and Administration, addressed the crowd. “Hopefully, you can see that one of the things we really want to communicate is that we are inclusive — we are inclusive to non-natives, even to people that hurt us deeply. We really want to be working toward reconciliation.”
KU’s FNSA is working with Wichlenski and McKnight on a presentation for the university’s 34th annual Powwow and Indigenous Cultures Festival on Apr. 8, 2023.
Watch the full apology in the video below.
More Stories Like This
Mackie Moore (Cherokee) Named Interim President of Haskell Indian Nations UniversityMohawk Students File Legal Suit Over Changes Impacting Access to Federal Financial Aid
Trump Administration Proposes Deep Cuts to Tribal College Funding, Threatening Their Survival
USU Researchers Find Relationship Building, Local Cultural Knowledge Key for Indigenous Learners
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project Brings Traditional Dance and Cultural Learning to 450 Students This Spring
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
