A PERMANENT memorial has been unveiled in the US honouring the links between Ireland and the Choctaw nation.
The Eternal Heart sculpture has been installed at the Choctaw Capitol Grounds in Oklahoma.
Created by Choctaw nation tribal member Samuel Stitt, the eight-foot structure features a Celtic trinity shape intertwined with a heart, and it has been placed so that it faces in the direction of Ireland from the US state.
Eternal Heart sculpture has been installed at the Choctaw Capitol Grounds in OklahomaThe memorial, a joint commission funded by the Irish Government and the Chahta Foundation, is designed to be a “permanent symbol” honouring the historic links between the two nations.
In 1847, the Choctaw, a Native American tribe, came together to raise over $170 – the equivalent to $5,000 today - to support the Irish people during the Great Famine.
The tribe had only recently endured its own ‘trail of tears’, the name given to a series of forced relocations of many Native American tribes from their ancestral homes between 1830 and 1850.
Their donation to the people of Ireland in their time of great need was sent to Midleton in County Cork.
More than a century later, the friendship was rekindled when in 1995 then Irish President Mary Robinson visited the Choctaw Nation to express gratitude to them
The visit, in which President Robinson was appointed Honorary Chief of the Choctaw Nation, sparked a renewed commitment between both nations to honour the bond forged by the Choctaws' selfless act.
In 2017, the Kindred Spirits sculpture, designed by Irish artist Alex Pentek, was erected in Midleton, in honour of that bond.
In 2020, amidst the global Covid-19 pandemic, Ireland sent funds to Native American tribes severely impacted by the crisis.
Minister of State Thomas Byrne was in Oklahoma for the unveiling (Pics: DFA.ie)This week Ireland’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Thomas Byrne was in Oklahoma for the unveiling of the latest monument to honour their unique connection.
“This memorial will be a permanent symbol of the enduring and meaningful friendship between our two nations, a relationship which began with an act of solidarity and extraordinary generosity during the darkest years of the Great Irish Famine,” he said.
“This unveiling is an important opportunity to reflect on the tragic events of our past and to remember the remarkable humanitarian efforts that forged the bonds of friendship between our nations.”
He added: “Ireland is proud of our own history of humanitarian support, particularly the recent support we saw to the Navajo & Hopi Families Covid-19 Relief Fund, as well as the work of the Irish Cultural and Learning Foundation community in Arizona during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The sculpture is a permanent memorial to the 'enduring friendship' between the Irish and Choctaw nations“I am sure that today’s event, coupled with our shared history will continue to strengthen Ireland’s engagement and links with the Choctaw Nation.”
Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton added: "We are grateful for the giving hearts of our Choctaw ancestors that brought us here today.
“We are excited to see what this eternal bond will bring to future generations of Choctaw and Irish, and we are extremely proud to call the people of Ireland our friends and kindred spirits."
