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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 19 April 2018 19 April 2018

Article by Sandra Michaud, who also created the photosand video unless otherwise marked. Thanks also to Barbara Gabioud.

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Over 100 people of all ages gathered at Bear Mountain Lodge Saturday to participate in the dedication of The One Million Bones Installation.

Susan McAllister, Executive Director, and Naomi Natale, Artistic Director, of the Art of Revolution, the organization behind the One Million Bones project, spoke about the history and the reasons behind the project.

Natale said that it has been five years since the ceramic bones were installed in the National Mall in Washington D.C. and that each time the bones were laid it was a reflection of the spirit of the community and a message of compassion. “We should challenge hate with love, opening our communities to the ‘other,’” she said.

McAllister’s remarks also touched on the meaning of the project. “The message of the bones is that we all belong to one another.”

Rose Mapendo, a genocide survivor, recounted her experiences. Her voice trembled, and at times she had to stop and compose herself as she told her tale of loss and grief. But she encouraged hope, saying that even though we cannot change what happened, we can work for peace in the future. “Even the small group we have here today, we can stand up and fight. It is a good time to work for peace.”

They then invited attendees to help carry some more of the ceramic bones up to the meadow where the permanent installation is, and about three quarters of them did so. There was a laying of the bones and a chance to see how the meadow will look in the future. There are still bones to be moved, and more opportunities to participate.

To find out more about the One Million Bones project and The Art of Revolution, go to: http://theartofrevolution.org .