2007 - ATALM | Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums

2 2007 National Conference of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums
About the Conference Logo
The conference logo incorporates The Guardian
by renowned Master Artist, Seminole
Chief, and retired Oklahoma State Senator
Kelly Haney.
The sculpture stands prominently atop the
Oklahoma State Capitol. Rising to a height of
twenty-two feet and weighing 4,000 pounds,
it embodies the diversity within the proud
and strong population of Oklahoma, while
serving as a reminder of tumultuous times.
The Guardian signifies the thousands of Native
Americans that were forced from their
homes during the 1800s and exemplifies
the valor of Oklahomans and their ability to
overcome tragedies.
Senator Kelly Haney, speaking as The Guardian,
provides this insight into the symbolism of
the statue: “My lance pierces my legging and
is planted in the ground. I will not be moved
from my duty, from my love of Oklahoma and
all of its people—people who have come from
far and near, people who have withstood
adversities and hardships, and still stand strong and proud. I will stand my ground. I will stand
guard over our great state, over our majestic land, over our values, I will not be moved.”
Senator Haney’s message to you, as a “Guardian of Culture,” is to, “Dream big. Work hard. Believe
deeply … for this is just the beginning. Let us all rise to our potential.”
The Artist
Truly a modern-day renaissance man, Enoch Kelly Haney’s talents span two separate spheres—
namely politics and art. Born on November 12, 1940, to William Woodrow and Hattie Louise
Haney, Enoch grew up in Seminole, Oklahoma. The son of a full-blood Seminole and Creek
Indian, Haney’s own grandfather was chief of the Seminole Tribe in the 1940s. Haney’s interest
in Indian people is evident in his art, as he puts a great amount of energy into the research and
documentation of Native American culture and traditions. His work is exacting in its detail and
representation of native peoples. Haney received his Associate of Arts degree from Bacone
College, and his Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Oklahoma City University. In 1962 he was
honored with the Rockefeller Foundation Scholarship at the University of Arizona. Haney was
designated as the Master Artist of the Five Civilized Tribes in 1975. He has also received the
Governor’s Art Award, and the Indian Heritage Award. Along with his work as an artist, Haney
has served terms in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the State Senate. It has been
written that Chief Haney’s work has come full circle with the creation of a sculpture that crowns
the building where he devoted a third of his life. (Courtesy of the Oklahoma Arts Council)
Would you like your photograph with The Guardian
To view The Guardian, visit the State Capitol Building located at 2300 North Lincoln Boulevard. Inside the
rotunda is a nine-foot version of The Guardian, perfect for photographing.