"Transformation Through Forgiveness"
By Francis Jansen

A National Monument For All Peoples of the World.

Entering this new millennium, we review our collective history to bring it into greater form and wholeness, to heal, where possible, the inhumanities of the past. We do this so we can look with clarity and deeper commitment to our future, as we expand into our ever-greater potential.

The monument, "Transformation Through Forgiveness" honors the essential contribution of our indigenous peoples. As a unique nation, now woven of many cultural expressions, we, as a whole, are much greater than our parts.

The creation of the monument "Transformation Through Forgiveness" began while I was visiting a stone quarry in Carrara, Italy. I found myself strongly drawn to a large elongated block of white marble. While gazing at the stone, it virtually opened to reveal a Native American man lying face down on the ground. Without any formal artistic training and with only two years of self taught experience in sculpting I began the process of releasing the vision, a being that I refer to as Eagleman. Carved from fine Carrara marble, the figure stands 15 feet tall and weighs approximately 12,000 pounds.

This arduous, yet euphoric birthing process took exactly nine months. During this time I became increasingly aware of the greater significance of the work and moved into a much broader understanding of its purpose. I feel an enormous sense of gratitude for the honor and privilege of giving back to the earth and her peoples.

The original "Transformation Through Forgiveness" was intended to stand at the massacre site at Wounded Knee. Though it was unanimously accepted by the Wounded Knee Survivor's Associations in 1991, it soon became apparent that this gift could not be fully received. It takes more than one little woman and her monument to bring forgiveness and unification to our nation.

That brought on a deeper commitment and a generous donation from the Iona Foundation, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which made it possible for me to create an exact size bronze casting, for which I then created a large, inscribed turtle base (reflecting the Turtle Island legend of North America's emergence).

When the bronze monument was completed, its first unveiling ceremony was at Wallowa Lake, Joseph, Oregon, nez Perce country. It was here that the great chief Joseph and his tribes lived. Amongst the speakers was the honorable Elder Horace Axtell who said, "When forgiveness is given it is forever".

The monument was next unveiled at the Southern Oregon University in Ashland. "This piece of art has truly helped our campus community learn and focus on the principals of respect and tolerance", Mary Ellen Fleeger, PhD, Executive Dean to the President. This is the traveling bronze monument that at this time stands at the "End of the Trail of Tears", Telhlequah, Oklahoma, at the North Eastern University. Its purpose is to stimulate, educate, generate and further enhance community for Forgiveness. Traveling from City to City, to Universities, parks, and other sacred healing sites, this monument encourages an environment for Deeper Humanity and Greater Community.

As the bronze monument journeys, the name of each place it stands is inscribed on the turtle's back. When the Turtles back is completely engraved, the monument will be permanently placed on a site where detriment and great suffering has occurred. Another bronze monument of "Transformation Through Forgiveness" will then be created to continue the journey's vision... As long as it takes...until the healing in done

The plaque on the Turtle's base is inscribed as such:

"Transformation Through Forgiveness"
A National Monument for All Peoples.

This is a tribute to the Native American peoples and stands symbolically for the healing of all wounds, be it physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or environmental.

"TransformationThrough Forgiveness" is a call to all human-kind for the reconciliation of man's inhumanity to man,
and stands as an acknowledgement in celebration of the
universal understanding,
One Whole Nation, One Whole World.

May the Eagle soar to ever greater heights and
envelop human-kind into the profoundness
of our higher destiny.

"Transformation Through Forgiveness", Inc.
A public and privately funded
NON-Profit Organization
For Deeper Humanity and Greater Community.

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Francis Jansen was born in the Netherlands to dutch parents, one year after World War 11. At the age of five she and her family, (one older brother) emigrated to Australia. Here she received her basic schooling and studied classical ballet, and piano. Moving back to Europe after twelve years in Australia, she began her working career, first in hairdressing, then continued her studies and worked as a doctor's assistant and lab technician. Marriage to her husband, a U.N. diplomat took them to Thailand in 1969. Here she adopted her only child.

She left Asia a single woman after six years, and with her son stayed in Germany for one year before the two came to settle in California. Amongst other successful ventures she has created and runs her own large health food restaurant and extensively remolded a now beautiful old Victorian home. It was around that time that Francis began seeing images in stone and felt the strong pull to start carving those images and visions. her web site information; www.f-j-graceinstone.org. You can see more of Francis' work at her website www.transformationthroughforgiveness.org.

If you would like to contact Francis, her email address is: francis-graceinstone@juno.com