Requiem: “Eight Voices”

Eight Voices (Before Columbus):
(Note: Four of the eight podia are shown here)

Omiimii, Amimi, Mimi8a, Ori’te, Putchee Nashoba, Yuakoowas, Omemenog, Wuscowhan. These are Algonquin names for the passenger pigeon: amimi by the Lenape, omiimii by the Ojibwe, and mimi8a by the Kaskaskia Illinois, ori’te by Mohawk, putchee nashoba, or lost dove, by Choctaw, and yuakoowas and omemenog by Seneca, wuscowhan by Narragansett. Four of the podia are included in the exhibition.

Acorns-an important food source for passenger pigeons-rest on the top of the 4 podia. On the stands are lists of extinct birds. In order to memorialize the lost birds:

Read the name of an extinct bird from the list.
Drop an acorn into the hole.
Repeat with next name on the list.