Time Capsules

Four time capsules, each containing items and letters from students represented by the four ASWSU Cultural Committees, BSU, MEChA, APASC, and Ku-Ah-Mah are buried on the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center grounds. 

Students from each group were asked to add items to the capsules that tied to WSU, had cultural significance and were relevant to the time. The capsules contain two letters, one on the impact that Elson S. Floyd had on the group and a second letter, authored by the leaders of each cultural organization, on the current state of the world and where they hope the world will be in 25 years when the capsule is opened.

The time capsules will be opened in 2042 with the intention of another capsule being buried and opened 25 years later in 2067. 

Golden Eagle & Serpent Knowledge Room

Wisdom, Learning, Sun & Earth

• Door Panel Art: "La Malinche" by Alfredo Arreguin
• Iconography by David Kendall
• Unique cast bronze furniture inlays by Judith & Daniel Caldwell

Coyote Knowlege Room

Cleverness, Transformation, Trickster, Teacher

• Door Panel Art: Iméec’inpun (The Prophet) by Nakia Williamson-Cloud
• Iconography by David Kendall
• Unique cast bronze furniture inlays by Judith & Daniel Caldwell

Turtle Knowledge Room

Longevity, Endurance, Strength, Creativity

• Door Panel Art: "The Chameleon" by Andres Barrioquinto
• Iconography by David Kendall
• Unique cast bronze furniture inlays by Judith & Daniel Caldwell

Turtle Knowledge Room

Longevity, Endurance, Strength, Creativity

• Door Panel Art: "The Chameleon" by Andres Barrioquinto
• Iconography by David Kendall
• Unique cast bronze furniture inlays by Judith & Daniel Caldwell

Multicultural Greek Plaques

Unique cast bronze plaques by Judith and Daniel Caldwell adorn the wall bordering the patio area. Each plaque represents an organization within WSU's Multicultural Greek community as well as Dr. Floyd's fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. The wall contains space for additional plaques to be added as additional organizations become recognized at WSU.

The Eyes of the Elders

66 cast bronze eyes inlaid from the east entrance by Judith & Daniel Caldwell

Niimíípu (Nez Perce) culture teaches reverence to elders and departed ancestors, and a consciousness of their continued presence after death. The emphasis is shared with traditional cultures in many parts of the world and was the starting point for Judith Caldwell's conceptualizing the Eyes of the Elders on the floor of the Cultural Center. Since animals arrived before people, Niimíípu stories count them as elders and teachers, looking to them for the lessons of life.

The installation begins just inside the East Entrance of the building, with a wall-mounted cast bronze root bag, patterned after a traditional Niimíípu design. The eye of Coyote, the trickster hero-villain of Niimíípu stories, emerges from the bag. Nearby, on the floor, a trail of 66 single eyes lead visitors down a ramp and around the perimeter of the great hall to the exterior door that leads to the Meditation Pavilion. 

All of us, young and old, are somebody’s child, on a journey from birth to death. The Eyes of the Elders aims to represent this idea that our wise and venerated elders and ancestors are watching out for us and guiding us along the way. 

The Hesutin Waterfall

Unique cast bronze by Judith & Daniel Caldwell

The Hesutin Waterfall greets visitors to the main entrance of the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center. Designed in collaboration with GGLO Architects, the installation draws attention to the difficult legacy of land appropriation from Native populations. The large black circle on the wall represents the original Niimíípu (Nez Perce) homeland in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The round opening in the wall above the water feature represents the reduction of land as a result of the Treaty of 1855 and the 6” circle at the top of the water feature represents the greatly reduced current reservation land from the subsequent Treaty of 1863. WSU and the Cultural Center itself are built on land originally inhabited by the Niimíípu. 

The water feature is comprised of 39 unique bronze castings, welded and fitted together to form a 100” tall watercourse, flanked by bronze ‘basalt’ columns, and scaled by five endangered Lamprey fish. A coordinating unique cast bronze grating was created by the artists for the base of the water feature. 

Entrance Panels

The Five Swallow Sisters

West entrance flame cut steel panel by Judith and Daniel Caldwell in consultation with Nakia Williamson-Cloud.

Wéetespeme’wes (I am of this land)

East entrance flame cut steel panel by Judith and Daniel Caldwell in consultation with Nakia Williamson-Cloud.