Coffman Memorial Union
The mural in the front entrance of Coffman Memorial Union was created by Marlena Myles, a self-taught Native American (Spirit Lake Dakota) artist located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Growing up on her traditional Dakota homelands here in the Twin Cities, she enjoys using her artwork to teach Minnesotans of all backgrounds the Indigenous history of this place we call home.
The mural represents natural items like plants, insects, birds and other wildlife found along the Mississippi river that runs through campus. Through an interactive event with students, Marlena gathered input from students which would be incorporated into the mural. Students were invited to learn about the significance of the thirteen lined ground squirrel (gopher) and how that relates to their "Gopher Journey" at the University of Minnesota.
Dakota translations by Dawi Westerman (Huha Maza)
Minneapolis and Saint Paul stand on the traditional homelands of the Dakota people. At the heart of the place is Bdóte, the sacred meeting of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers and the Dakota site of creation. This confluence embodies the deep interconnectedness of land, sky, water and all living beings. The murals reflect these relationships through Dakota knowledge and through the voices of UMN students. Their reflections on connection and belonging (gathered during an interactive activity) remind us that we are all connected beneath the surface.
The Milky Way, known in Dakota teachings as the Spirit Road, is mirrored on Earth by the two great rivers, showing the unity of sky and land. At the center stands the cottonwood tree, a living bridge between realms whose roots reach into the waters of creation while its branches carry the stars. The kapemni teaching - “what is above is reflected below” - expresses this continuous relationship between the seen and unseen, the earthly and the celestial. Together, these elements form a sacred hoop of knowledge, inviting all who stand before the mural to recognize their place within this circle and to honor the relationships that sustain us.
Mural Elements
- Minneapolis and Saint Paul Skylines (Day & Night)
- The Rivers Connect Us: quotes from students reflecting on what connects us
Flora & Fauna
Animal Relatives who share the land with us: gophers (13 -lined ground squirrels), butterflies, dragonflies, and bees
Water Relatives who share these rivers with us: turtle, walleye, sunfish, and minnow
Plant Relatives that root us to this land: purple coneflower, milkweed, sage, and prairie
Symbols
The Sacred Hoop represents unity among all people and balance with the natural world
The Tipi pattern in the Earth signifies we are on Dakota Homelands
The Milky Way is our Spirit Road: its reflection on Earth is the Mississippi & Minnesota Rivers
The Cottonwood Tree carries stars in its branches and connects above
Kapemni (meaning "to twist" or "to spin") symbolizes the balance between above and below. It is drawn as two teepees connected at their apex. The bottom one represents the Earth, the top one is upside down and represents the sky. The apex is a point of passage between these two aspects of the world.