A new sculpture at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) tells a story thousands of years in the making—one of Indigenous heritage, ancestral knowledge, and the enduring relationship between people and the natural world.
Unveiled Monday, Oct. 12, in recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, the Cultural Sun Sculpture was designed by TMCC Social Work student Ezra Rambeau, who identifies as Numu and Chicano. The four-by-six-foot metal artwork, installed at the entrance to the Countess Angela Dandini Garden on the Dandini Campus, draws inspiration from ancient petroglyphs and celebrates Indigenous sovereignty, cultural resilience, and sustainability.
Welding instructor Heather Morton (right) and students in the welding lab.
Reflecting Heritage in Nature and Renewal
For Rambeau, the sculpture's story began during a return visit to Payahuunadü (Owens Valley), where they explored petroglyphs on his homeland.
"After 9 years away, I was in Payahuunadü again. I attended a celebration for an Indigenous Women Hike … around our homeland to see the petroglyphs. I was enamored by the sight of them," said Rambeau.
Rather than reproducing the petroglyphs, Rambeau reimagined elements of their abstract forms to create a contemporary expression of culture.
"This sculpture depicts the third iteration of my design, with the most important aspects of the design aspects remaining the same. Due to the erasure of many of our cultural symbols, it is unclear what many of the petroglyphs are directly depicting. I was inherently inspired by the vivid and abstract essence of the ones I drew from to create the design. I referred back to a handful of petroglyphs and repurposed certain elements for my design as a means of representing my heritage. I want to keep alive elements of our ancient, under-appreciated art and symbols."
The design process prompted Rambeau to ask: “What does it mean to live on someone else’s homeland?”
Education Professor Micaela Rubalcava said, “I encouraged Ezra to ask big questions and consult with regional tribal members and elders to nourish the cultural roots he shares with Indigenous peoples in the land now called Northern Nevada.”
The resulting sun disc moves with the wind, symbolizing the interconnectedness of Earth, moon and sun, as well as the continuous cycles of nature and renewal. The sculpture honors the diverse Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin, including the Numu (Northern Paiute), Newe (Western Shoshone), Nuwu (Southern Paiute), Wašiw (Washoe), and Pipa Aha Macav (Mojave Peoples).
Four million Indigenous peoples self-identify as American Indian or Alaska Native, with an array of tribal languages and cultural traditions. The sculpture honors the 20 federally recognized tribes in Nevada in 28 reservations, bands, colonies, and community councils; it also acknowledges the 575 federally-recognized Indian tribes, bands, nations, rancherias, communities and Native villages in the land now called the United States.
Rubalcava said, “The cultural sun sculpture resists colonialism. It honors the Land Back Movement, which seeks to restore Indigenous political authority over unceded ancestral lands. The sculpture acknowledges the reclamation of Indigenous jurisdictions and the dismantling of white supremacy. This sculpture supports Indigenous rights and meeting basic human and cultural needs in a clean environment.”
Bringing the Vision to Life
The project brought together art, cultural education and technical training. Throughout the 2025–26 academic year, Rambeau worked with Rubalcava, Welding Instructor Pamela Flynn and master gardener and student Robert Ramirez. Rambeau’s research included studying TMCC art exhibitions, visiting the welding laboratory at the William N. Pennington Applied Technology Center, and attending a cultural lecture by University of Nevada, Reno Professor Debra Harry.
Flynn, with welding instructors Heather Morton and Jentre Taber, translated Rambeau's vision into an engineering blueprint, and guided TMCC welding students Sara Schneider, Nathan Miller, Brad Dodd, and Alex Yracheta-Brown through fabrication. Dr. Ayodele Akinola, Associate Vice President of Facilities and Campus Operations, and Ryan Daughtery directed the installation of the approximately 200-pound sculpture.
The sculpture's location reinforces its message. Surrounded by native and pollinator-friendly plants, organic vegetable beds and geological history displays, the Dandini Garden provides a living setting for conversations about Indigenous knowledge, environmental stewardship and the relationship between people and land.
“Native arts and languages heal, moving backwards and forwards simultaneously, vitalizing intergenerational thriving in sun, land, sky, and water unity. This Cultural Sun Sculpture inspires us to take North, East, South, and West cultural journeys for sustainability. Nonviolent global citizenship action protects local-global Earth systems,” Rubalcava said. "This sculpture and the garden area is an active learning lab available to all. I designed a free interdisciplinary lesson plan with four sensory stations to connect content across the curriculum to mindfulness, culture, and sustainability for real-world healing. For the lesson, contact the Campus Connections Office."
As the sculpture moves with the wind, it offers a reminder that Indigenous stories are not confined to the past. They continue to evolve through the people who preserve, reinterpret and share them with future generations.