A representation of one of the seven disks. This disk is known as the Sun Circle which Cherokee legend states that “The Cherokees will survive as long as the sacred fire burns.”
Members from Team Gadugi from Locust, Okla., will be in Chattanooga on Thursday to install the seven ceremonial disks along the wall of The Passage.
The installation will begin at approximately 9:00 a.m. and will last for most of the day.
Team Gadugi, which means working together in Cherokee, were chosen to design and install the public art that will become a permanent part of The Passage. The Passage is a pedestrian walkway located underneath Riverfront Parkway that connects Ocean’s Journey to the Tennessee River.
Each disk’s symbol has an important and particular meaning to the Cherokee culture.
Peggy Townsendl public art coordinator states, “Team Gadugi has designed a historically significant, special, and beautiful place that will be enjoyed for generations. Through public art, The Passage commemorates the Trail of Tears and celebrates Cherokee culture, symbolism and mythology."
Laurie Shipley, director of marketing for Allied Arts adds, “Chattanooga is blessed to be associated with a project such as The Passage that has meaningful symbolic and cultural value.”