Wóinila: A Mural of Silence and Learning
On March 11, CU Boulder unveiled a new mural, Wóinila: In Silence We Learn, on the second floor of the Miramontes Baca Education Building. The mural is an original work created as part of a collaboration between CU’s School of Education and the student-led Cultural Events Board (CEB).
Its title, Wóinila — a Lakota word meaning “silence” — reflects one of the first Lakota values passed down within the culture, said the mural’s creator, Danielle SeeWalker, a Hunkpapa Lakota artist from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
“We sit in silence as we listen to the land, the wind and the stars as they teach us. We learn to listen before we respond and speak,” SeeWalker said.
The painting includes scenes of mentorship, colorful hummingbirds, stars and two buffaloes.
Naisha Naik (BusAna’28) helped lead the project as a member of the CEB, which provides students with opportunities to broaden their knowledge on topics such as diversity and social awareness.
“Having this mural in the School of Education is especially meaningful. It serves as a reminder that education is not just about books and classrooms, but also about the stories, history and knowledge of our communities,” Naik told the School of Education.
Photo by Patrick Campbell