Íⁿ’zhúje’waxóbe is a red Sioux quartzite, native to eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota, that was deposited in Kansas by glaciers. Geologists have said that the boulder was carried to Kansas from the area of the Dakotas on a glacier hundreds of thousands of years ago. The boulder came to rest on the banks of the Shunganunga Creek near Tecumseh, where the creek joins with the Kansas River. In’zhu’je’waxo’be was a spiritual anchor and focal point for the Kaw/Kanza people.
Jame Pepper Henry, former Vice-Chair of the Kaw Nation and nationally known museum professional, presented the story of In’zhu’je’waxo’be to an intrigued audience at the Mission on January 25. This 28-ton boulder is sacred to the Kanza, ‘People of the Southwind’ from whom the State of Kansas gets its name. It is astonishing enough to have a boulder of this size carried hundreds of miles by glacier to Shunganunga Creek in Kansas but to learn that it has been moved twice by people since it was deposited in Kansas is an unexpected twist.
Jim explained the relocation of the Red Rock to Lawrence in 1929 where it became a tribute to those who settled the west. But in 2015, indigenous scholars and people in Lawrence came to agree that In’zhu’je’waxo’be needed to be with the people who found it a sacred anchor for centuries. Through extraordinary efforts and collaboration, In’zhu’je’waxo’be was moved to the Kaw’s Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park in Council Grove in 2024.
Mr. Pepper Henry demonstrated his story telling skills and expertise during his presentation, which feature many interesting photos. A decade long associate at the Smithsonian who initiated their artifact loan program, Jim also served as Director at the Anchorage Museum, the Heard Museum, and the Gilcrease Museum before putting together the First American’s Museum in Oklahoma City and becoming its first Director. Jim’s innovative approach to history telling, in person and in museums, is a talent that the Mission hopes he will share with us in the future.