In addition to its nickname as the Gateway City, St. Louis was once more popularly known as “Mound City.” Yet only one of more than 100 historic Mississippian mounds built by Indigenous people in St. Louis remains: Sugarloaf Mound.
It’s a site very near the Mississippi River in south St. Louis that many local drivers pass on Interstate 55 without understanding its significance or even knowing of its existence. But it’s also a place of profound meaning for members of the Osage Nation including Anita Fields, a multidisciplinary artist.
“Our worldview centers around the connection, and our relationship as a human being, to the earth, sky, and water,” Fields said. “You can hear water, which is very near, because this site sits on the hilltop overlooking the [Mississippi]. So the sounds of nature are very prominent… the wind, the river, the earth.”
Fields, who lives in Oklahoma, and her son Nokosee Fields created an art installation called “WayBack” at Sugarloaf Mound for the 2023 iteration of Counterpublic’s triennial exhibition. The ancestral site then was held partially by the Osage Nation, which purchased a portion of the mound in 2009 under the leadership of then-Principal Chief Jim Gray.
Fields was elated by last month’s announcement that one more parcel of Sugarloaf Mound has been promised back to the Osage, not only for members of her tribe but for people of other Indigenous tribes not recognized or otherwise acknowledged in Missouri.
“This idea that we are nonexistent, and our history of how we were removed from there, most people don't know that. One of the goals we had in this installation [“WayBack”] was to inform people of our presence in St. Louis… to bring people to this site and have them be able to think about the effects of displacement,” Fields said. “So being able to reclaim this site and [Sugarloaf Mound] land, and especially as historic as it is, it gives us a sense of understanding this place where a lot of our worldview was formed.”
Fields said the recent land transfer agreement for one of two parts of Sugarloaf Mound still in private hands demonstrates the important role art has played, especially in bringing diverse yet like-minded collaborators together: tribal partners, nonprofit leaders, elected officials, arts curators, and everyday citizens.
“Many hands were involved in bringing this to fruition,” she said. “It feels really, really good, because you don't often think of the power of art within this kind of negotiation.”
Ultimately, Fields wants Sugarloaf Mound and the story of its return to the Osage to prompt greater knowledge and understanding.
“I would hope they would think about the importance of this history, not only for us, but as residents of St Louis — the importance of knowing the history of the land that [they] occupy. I would hope that they would want to know more. I would hope that they would want their children and their families to be aware of this.”
To hear how the Osage Nation acquired part of Sugarloaf Mound in 2009, how annual trips to ancestral sites connect Osage people to their culture, and why collaboration among tribal and non-Indigenous entities is necessary, listen to the full St. Louis on the Air conversation on Apple Podcast, Spotify and YouTube, or click the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Jada Jones is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
