This work was placed in the Courtyard of the Boulder County Courthouse, Boulder, Colorado during Indigenous Peoples' Day, October, 2020.

1. The Soldier’s Veil
Artist’s Statement
By Morey Bean
In this work of temporary public art created from theatrical fabric,
community artist and architect Morey Bean calls for us to understand the
need for us Boulder residents to begin the community grieving process
behind our ancestors’ complicit place in history and corresponding
perpetuation of our genocidal and ecocidal ways, largely hidden from view
in our contemporary education process.
The narrative on the veil asks us to learn, unlearn and relearn about our
place as actors toward a more just, economically equitable society.
It is the hope of the artist that the Boulder community will organize a
restorative justice process where we may all start the collective healing
process as we understand what occurred at Fort Chambers, near 63rd
Street in Boulder whose militia who lived in Boulder and Denver carried
out the Sand Creek Massacre, about 180 miles from our homes here.
It is hoped that a small, Covid-19 appropriate ‘veiling’ ceremony can occur
during the week of August 1st, 2020, where we can collectively grieve and
discuss as a community what should happen to this monument, one that
turns out to be representational of a heretofore unconscionably horrific
chapter in our collective history.

2. Grief is a requisite
component of
learning. But the
death of old ideas
gives birth to new
ones. History is a
relational enterprise.
When you do not tell
the story from as
many perspectives
as possible, you not
only rob those
whose stories have
been silenced, you
rob yourself of
access to the
wellspring of deep
knowledge from
which all
transformational
progress emerges.
--Rev. Pedro S. Silva II
June, 2020
West Elevation: Grief
“Grief is a requisite component of learning. But the death
of old ideas gives birth to new ones. History is a relational
enterprise. When you do not tell the story from as many
perspectives as possible, you not only rob those whose
stories have been silenced, you rob yourself of access to
the wellspring of deep knowledge from which all
transformational progress emerges.”
--Rev. Pedro S. Silva II
June, 2020
https://therooflesschurch.com/2020/06/13/new-me-blm-cut-
pedro-silva-featuring-the-voices-of-the-movement/
“Grief is a requisite
component of learning.
But the death of old
ideas gives birth to new
ones. History is a
relational enterprise.
When you do not tell the
story from as many
perspectives as
possible, you not only
rob those whose stories
have been silenced, you
rob yourself of access to
the wellspring of deep
knowledge from which
all transformational
progress emerges.”
--Rev. Pedro S. Silva II
June, 2020

3. North Elevation: The
List
The names of the Massacres that have been perpetrated against Native
Americans are listed to ask viewers to consider the breadth of killing that
has happened in North America. The list is sourced from Wikipedia.
Achulet Massacre
Acoma Massacre
Acteal Massacre
Antelope Hills Expedition
Apalachee Massacre
Asbill Massacre
Battle of Ash Hollow
Awa'uq Massacre
Battle at Blue Coat's Village
Battle Creek massacre
Battle of Bad Axe
Battle of Bandera Pass
Bear River Massacre
Bear River Massacre Site
Battle of Blanco Canyon
Bloody Island massacre
Bridge Gulch massacre
Brodhead's Coshocton
expedition
Camp Grant massacre
Chehaw Affair
Battle of Claremore Mound
Council House Fight
Crow Creek massacre
Cutthroat Gap Massacre
Dressing Point Massacre
Fairfield Swamp Fight
Fall Creek massacre
Fort Neoheroka
Fort Pueblo Massacre
Battle at Fort Utah
Gnadenhutten Massacre
Indian Massacre of 1622
Kabyai Creek massacre
Kalinago Genocide of 1626
Kern and Sutter Massacres
Keyesville Massacre
Kieft's War
Klamath Lake massacre
Konkow Maidu Slaver
Massacre
Battle of Little Robe Creek
Marias Massacre
Massacre at Ywahoo Falls
Massacre Canyon
Battle of Mazocoba
Mendocino War
Mountain Chief
Mystic massacre
Battle of Norridgewock
Battle of the North Fork of the
Red River
Pauma massacre
Pavonia massacre
Battle of Pease River
Pound Ridge massacre
Rancheria Tulea massacre
Round Valley Settler
Massacres of 1856–1859
Sacramento River Massacre
Sand Creek Massacre
Sand Creek Massacre National
Historic Site
Skull Creek massacre
St. Francis Raid
Sutter Buttes Massacre
Temecula massacre
Fall of Tenochtitlan
Tongue River Massacre (1820)
Tuscarora War
1860 Wiyot Massacre
Wounded Knee Massacre
Yellow Creek massacre
Yontoket Massacre
Site of Ft.
Chambers
Boulder,
Colorado Where
Col. Chivington’s
militia trained to
perpetrate the
Sand Creek
Massacre
This beautiful map is sourced from Native Land Digital, an
Indigenous owned and operated Canadian non-profit.
We are constantly revising and changing our maps,
and claiming certain territories belong only to
certain groups can be fraught with a lot of
difficulty and problems. I would recommend that
you actually get in touch with local nations,
through reservation/bandoffices, friendship
centres, or other similar organizations, in
confirming or complicating theshapes that we
haveon our maps.
This map should be viewed critically given this warning from the Map creators: “We are
constantly revising and changing our maps, and claiming certain territories belong only to
certain groups can be fraught with a lot of difficulty and problems. I would recommend
that you actually get in touch with local nations, through reservation/band offices,
friendship centres, or other similar organizations, in confirming or complicating the
shapes that we have on our maps.” Concerned viewers are encouraged to contact Native
Land to help them more accurately portray the lands more accurately. Go online to: native-
land.ca

4. South Elevation: Capt.
Soule
“You would
think it
impossible for
white men to
butcher and
mutilate
human
beings as
they did
there.”
--Civil War Captain Silas
Soule reflecting on the
Sand Creek Massacre
Silas S. Soule was murdered
on the streets of Denver
22 days after he was married.
In honor and memory of Silas S. Soule
Assassins shot and killed 1st Colorado Cavalry Officer Capt. Silas S. Soule.
During the infamousSand Creek Massacre of November 29, 1864. Soule had
disobeyed orders by refusing to fire on Chief Black Kettle’s peaceful Cheyenne
and Arapaho village. Later, at Army hearings, Soule testified against his
Commander, Col John M. Chivington, detailing the atrocities committedby the
troops at Sand Creek. His Murderers were never brought to justice.
Assassins shot and killed 1st Colorado Cavalry Officer Capt. Silas
S. Soule. During the infamous Sand Creek Massacre of November
29, 1864. Soule had disobeyed orders by refusing to fire on Chief
Black Kettle’s peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho village. Later, at
Army hearings, Soule testified against his Commander, Col John
M. Chivington, detailing the atrocities committed by the troops at
Sand Creek. His Murderers were never brought to justice.

5. East Elevation: Sometimes
SOMETIMES
Sometimes
if you move carefully
through the forest,
breathing
like the ones
in the old stories,
who could cross
a shimmering bed of leaves
without a sound,
you come
to a place
whose only task
is to trouble you
with tiny
but frightening requests,
conceived out of nowhere
but in this place
beginning to lead everywhere.
Requests to stop what
you are doing right now,
and
to stop what you
are becoming
while you do it,
questions
that can make
or unmake
a life,
questions
that have patiently
waited for you,
questions
that have no right
to go away.
--David Whyte
SOMETIMES
Sometimes
if you move carefully
through the forest,
breathing
like the ones
in the old stories,
who could cross
a shimmering bed of leaves
without a sound,
you come
to a place
whose only task
is to trouble you
with tiny
but frightening requests,
conceived out of nowhere
but in this place
beginning to lead
everywhere.
Requests to stop what
you are doing right now,
and
to stop what you
are becoming
while you do it,
questions
that can make
or unmake
a life,
questions
that have patiently
waited for you,
questions
that have no right
to go away.
--David Whyte
Words by David Whyte, from his work entitled,
Something, ©David Whyte 2020. Used by
Permission of Many Rivers Press, Langley,
Washington, USA.
Words by David Whyte, from his work entitled, Something, ©David Whyte2020. Used by
Permission of Many Rivers Press, Langley, Washington, USA.

6. I am sitting in the dark.
In the dark I am sitting…
Without singing I wouldn’t be able to talk...
Now all I can do is wait, wait for the sun
Wait for the birds to sing, and all that
May happen when the sun comes up...
I am sitting in the dark. In the dark, I am sitting.
-- Desiray Chee

7. My shame is as big as the earth…I once
thought that I was the only man that
persevered to be the friend of the white
man, but it is hard for me to believe the
white man anymore.
--Black Kettle

8. Respect, Connect, Reflect, Direct--in that order.
Everything in creation is sentient and carries
knowledge, therefore everything is deserving of
our respect. Even narcissists.
--Tyson Yunkaporta
from Sand Talk
How Indignous Thinking Can Save the World

9. Before the white man can relate to others
he must forego the pleasure of defining
them. The white man must learn to stop
viewing history as a plot against himself.
–Vine Deloria, Jr.

10. Upon suffering beyond suffering, the Red Nation
shall rise again, and it shall be a blessing for a sick
world. A world filled with broken promises,
selfishness and separations. A world longing for
light again.
--Crazy Horse

11. Please try to remember that what
they believe, as well as what they
do and cause you to endure does
not testify to your inferiority but to
their inhumanity.
--James Baldwin

12. THE SOLDIER’S VEIL
From Civil War to Civil Rights
Artist’s Statement
In this work of temporary public art created from theatrical fabric, as a
community artist I am calling for us to begin the community grieving
process behind our Boulder ancestors’ complicit place in history as
perpetrators of the Sand Creek Massacre, and an end to our
continuing genocidal and ecocidal ways, largely hidden from view in
our contemporary social ethos.
The narrative on the veil asks us, in the liminal space of the pandemic, to learn, unlearn and relearn
our place as community actors toward a more just, economically equitable society, particularly for our
Black, Indian and People of Color in Boulder and America. This will help insure that we’ll all live in
abundance.
Let us collectively grieve and discuss as a community what should happen to this monument,
as we journey from Civil War to Civil Rights. The evolution of the monument must be given to
a group of predominantly local Arapaho people, who can reclaim and exercise a newfound
sovereignty over the disposition of this work of public art, a sovereignty that we colonizing
settlers took from them, and take from them yet today.
It is my hope that the Boulder community will eventually organize a restorative justice system where
we may all start the collective healing process as we understand what occurred at Fort Chambers,
near 63rd Street in Boulder, whose militia members, including some of our Boulder ancestors carried
out the Sand Creek Massacre of 230 peaceful Arapaho and Cheyenne people, less than 180 miles
from our homes here.
--Morey Bean

13. The Veil Circle:
Community Conversations
This circle of chairs is the most important feature of the Soldier’s Veil piece. It’s simply a collection of lawn
chairs inviting visitors to the Soldier’s Veil to have collective community conversations. Designed to
maintain appropriate ‘social distancing’, the circle of chairs will be separated by and connected to six foot
long pipes.

14. The Veil Circle:
Community Conversations
Who would join you for a conversation here? How can we learn to find out how we’re unique and what we
have in common? How can we collectively grieve the loss of lives happening with the pandemic and those
lost at Sand Creek and the many other places of attempted genocide?

15. Community Conversations
on the
Pearl Street Mall
The Civil War monument is prominently located on the front lawn of the Boulder County Office Building adjacent to the popular Pearl
Street Mall, a favorite gathering for people from Boulder as well as visitors from Denver and around the world. The Soldier’s Veil and
Veil Circle will provide a welcoming gesture for those who are curious about our past, present and future. Depending on the
restrictions imposed by the pandemic related to safe public gathering within visitors’ First Amendment rights, the Circle will ask
visitors to reflect on this largely unwritten version of American history, perhaps soon unveiling a new, collectively created narrative
around reparations for Black, Indigenous and all People of Color.

16. Selected Photos
The Soldier’s Veil v 1.0
August, 2020

17. Selected Photos
The Soldier’s Veil v 1.0
August, 2020

18. We Took Their Food

19. A Genocide By Starvation

20. Our Community Conversations
October 10, 2020
• 10:00 – 10:05 Welcome
• 10:05 – 10:15 The Soldier’s Veil (Re)visited
• 10:15 – 10:20 Naomi Kline animation
• 10:20 – 10:25 Touchstones for discussion & Theory U
• 10:25 – 11:40 Break-outs! Our Stories From the Future of the Plaza
• 11:40 – 11:55 Break-ins! Telling Our Stories Together
• 11:55 – Noon Expressions of Gratitude, Next Steps & The Soldier’s Veil
2.0

21. Our Community Conversations
Break-outs Outline
• 10:25 – 10:40 Quick Intro, Check-in (“Pass!” is OK), The Gifts You Bring Today
• 10:40 – 10:40 Choose a Scribe and 1 or 2 Storytellers (may happen later
organically…)
• 10:40 – 10:50 Listening from Your Artist’s Heart: What You See Today
• 10:50 – 11:05 Generative Listening “What I heard…” in slightly different words
• 11:05 – 11:10 3 Minutes of Quiet Reflection and ‘Crystallizing’ what was heard
• 11:10 – 11:35 Create Your Group’s Collective Story From 2023:
• Where Your Group Is, assuming a vaccine (Boulder Courthouse
Plaza or Ft. Chambers would help me)
• Who You’re Group’s With
• What You’re Group’s Doing
• What You’re Group’s Seeing