The sculpture is situated at Tuggeht, which means “at the shore” (Dena’ina), the original name for the place now called Bishops Beach, within the tribal lands of Nichiłt’ana, Ninilchik Village Tribe, which is a modern and mixed tribe, but their members trace their roots from the ancient Kachemak peoples, and the Dena’ina and Sugpiaq people of this region, who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial. The name Tuyanitun is based on an ancient wayfinding system embedded in the landscape, radiating from the central high point of the Ninilchik Dome. The artist who designed this installation, Argent Kvasknikoff, tells us more about his forward-thinking vision in his remarks (Artist’s remarks) 

The process of making land acknowledgement visible in the form of this sculpture began as an inquiry, an effort to learn more about this history of this place. Bunnell’s Board and staff have been deeply dedicated to this work.  In 2020 Bunnell Street Arts Center hosted a series of conversations about land acknowledgement. To learn the original place names and honor the traditional stewards of this land is one thing, but how do we turn this acknowledgement into action? How do we make learning visible and accessible to more people, and make this work a ripple that at leads outward to more learning, more stewardship, and more inclusive stories of place? 

Argent Kvasnikoff, the artist, is a member of Ninilchik Village Tribe, who became interested in the arts while studying anthropology and language at  Capilano University in Vancouver, Canada. He has been exhibiting in juried shows, solo exhibits and art installations in Alaska since 2015.  In 2019 Argent conceived the idea of Tuyanitun : Tuggeht. At his suggestion, we presented the proposal to Ninilchik Tribal Council for review, because the Ninilchik’s tribal boundaries include not just the Ninilchik and Happy Valley area, but north to south Kasilof including the south side of the Kasilof River and Tustemena Lake, East to the Caribou Hills and Kenai Mountains, South to the City of Homer and Homer Spit, and a portion of the Western Cook Inlet and Upper Alaska Peninsula surrounding Mt. Iliamna, the east of side of Lake Clark, and the south face of Mt. Redoubt. 

With the approval of Ninilchik Tribal Council and its autonomous work, we then reached out to The City of Homer and invited a collaboration with Bunnell Street Arts Center in elevating this effort of land acknowledgement. 

City council member Donna Aderhold brought forth Resolution 20-079 to accept Tuyanitun: Tuggeght as a gift to the municipal public art collection. And then we worked diligently with the City of Homer’s park, arts, recreation and culture commission to site the work with the advice of Bunnell’s Vice President, Rika Mouw, who is a trained landscape architect. In addition to Councilmember Aderhold and Rika Mouw, on behalf of Bunnell, I’d like to acknowledge and thank the full Council for supporting this project, Caroline Venuti, Jason Davis, Rachel Lord, Storm Hansen and Shelly Erickson, and mayor, Ken Castner. We are also grateful for the partnership of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the support of Steve Delehanty and Lora Haller, who welcome thousands of visitors to these lands every year, and introduce many to Tuyanitun ; Tuggeht. 

Midton Acrylics cast the sculpture from recycled plastics in Scotland. Dave Gronseth fabricated the sculpture’s pole at Automotive Collision Experts in Homer,  and many City staff, especially Public Works Director, Jan Keiser, and Parks Superintendent Matt Steffy, very capably and thoughtfully stewarded this project forward. 

The City’s role in this project is an in-kind effort exceeding $55,000 in value, from land, to services. In addition, this project received grants from many organizations and supporters including Alaska Community Foundation Social Justice Fund, Ninilchik Village Tribe, Alaska State Council on the Arts, National Performance Network, Rasmuson Foundation and  Cook Inlet Tribal Council, and fifty-six private contributors who donated a total of $18,194. 

In all, this is a tremendous effort and we at Bunnell feel very humbled to be a part of this, and learn with our greater community, from Homer to Ninilchik and beyond, about the legacy of Ninilchik Village Tribe, from its ancestral wayfinding techniques, stories and names, a modern tribe of many people, to which one in 15 people of this greater community belongs. That’s really notable. There is so much to uplift in this learning, but most of all, we recognize the committed community members, supporters and donors, and a sense of kinship and respect that has been remarkable, expansive and ever-deepening through learning. I think this is the greatest legacy, and one that is rooted in Indigenous lifeways and values. This guides us forward. As one city staff member said, the sculpture reflects light and looks like a beacon from afar.