[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6265-S6266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING RICK BARTOW

 Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today a part of the Pacific 
Northwest is coming to Washington, DC. Thanks to the immensely creative 
and dedicated work of artist Rick Bartow and his team, two wooden pole 
sculptures will be placed in the garden of the Smithsonian National 
Museum of the American Indian. Atop one pole sits a bear and the other 
pole a raven, representing the healer and the rascal, respectively. The 
Bear pole is 27 feet tall, and the Raven pole, 23 feet tall. The 
poles--collectively titled ``We Were Always Here''--will face the 
Washington Monument and overlook the National Mall.
  The artist behind this project, Rick Bartow, is a Native American of 
Wiyot and Yurok heritage who was born in Newport, OR. His previous work 
has been shown throughout the world, including his Cedar Mill Pole, 
which was displayed at the White House in 1997. When you hear Mr. 
Bartow discuss his art, his process, and the world around him, you 
realize that you are listening to one of the country's foremost 
artistic minds.
  That talent is clearly showcased in ``We Were Always Here.'' The 
level of detail, history, and meaning in each pole is truly amazing. 
The poles are based on Native beliefs, but the message and meaning 
behind them are universal. For example, Mr. Bartow explains that the 
repeated horizontal patterns on each pole, ``symbolize successive 
waves, generations following generations, an accumulation of wisdom and 
knowledge.'' This idea that we can learn from our ancestors and from 
history is critical to the progress of our Nation and is one that is 
beautifully captured through these sculpture poles.
  Thanks to the tireless efforts of Mr. Bartow and his team, folks 
visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian or 
walking the National Mall will now be able to look

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upon these sculptures and gain an understanding of the important role 
the Native American community has in Oregon and throughout our country.
  It is important to note that it is not only Oregon that is 
represented in these poles, but rather the Pacific Northwest. The two 
trees from which they are carved--a 1200 and 500 year old cedar--are 
from our northern neighbors, Washington State, and artists from around 
the area contributed in the creation of these sculptures. This sense of 
community is a staple of the Pacific Northwest and one that is 
represented in ``We Were Always Here''.
  I want to commend Mr. Bartow and his team for their great work, and I 
encourage everyone to get out and experience ``We Were Always Here'' by 
visiting the American Indian Museum or The National Mall.

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