Works by Peter Toth still standing proud

By Brian HoxseySept. 21, 2020

For hundreds if not thousands of years, many Native American tribes roamed, traded, and made Starved Rock Country their home until the early 1830s when most were forced to migrate westward with increasing pressure from the European settlers. Since 1972, Hungarian-born sculptor Peter "Wolf" Toth has been using hand tools to chisel and carve memorials to native peoples across the globe, in hopes of increasing awareness and spreading their stories. A pair of these Indian busts, known as "The Whispering Giants" can be found honoring the indigenous people of Starved Rock Country.

One of these larger than life sculptures, carved out of Burr Oak trees, currently resides in Ottawa's Allen Park on the south bank of the Illinois River and was commissioned by the city, while the other that was donated stands at the Lodge and Conference Center at Starved Rock State Park. Both were set in cement foundations.

The Allen Park sculpture was carved from a tree removed from La Salle Street on the city's North Side during the construction of a sewer lift station, while the Starved Rock carving was uprooted from the park by the Illinois Department of Conservation and transferred to the state park.

Toth faced many hardships in his native country until 1956 when the Hungarian borders were open briefly during a nationwide revolution against the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet Union-imposed policies. His family took the opportunity to flee and immigrated to the United States, two years later settling in Akron, Ohio.

As Toth grew up in the US, he developed a deep interest in native North American culture and history. He saw in their story a parallel to the violent repression he had experienced in Hungary.
Toth decided to honor the Native Americans by creating and donating a sculpture in each of the 50 American states. The first was completed in February 1972 in La Jolla, California, and he completed his goal with a Polynesian statue in May 1988 in Haleiwa, Hawaii. Overall, Toth has created more than 74 sculptures and the collection of large statues, including those in Allen Park and Starved Rock State Park, is known as the Trail of the Whispering Giants.
"I study the Indians of the area, then visualize an Indian within the log. It is a composite of all the native people of the state," Toth said according to roadtripamerica.com.
The 13-foot-tall sculpture at Allen Park, named Ho-Mah-Shjah-Nah-Zhee-Ga (meaning "Standing proud" in Winnebago Indian dialect) and the 61st created by Toth, was dedicated on May 11, 1989. Toth said it honored all the Native Americans who lived in the area. — As Toth grew up in the US, he developed a deep interest in native North American culture and history. He saw in their story a parallel to the violent repression he had experienced in Hungary.

Toth decided to honor the Native Americans by creating and donating a sculpture in each of the 50 American states. The first was completed in February 1972 in La Jolla, California, and he completed his goal with a Polynesian statue in May 1988 in Haleiwa, Hawaii. Overall, Toth has created more than 74 sculptures and the collection of large statues, including those in Allen Park and Starved Rock State Park, is known as the Trail of the Whispering Giants.

"I study the Indians of the area, then visualize an Indian within the log. It is a composite of all the native people of the state," Toth said according to roadtripamerica.com.

The 13-foot-tall sculpture at Allen Park, named Ho-Mah-Shjah-Nah-Zhee-Ga (meaning "Standing proud" in Winnebago Indian dialect) and the 61st created by Toth, was dedicated on May 11, 1989. Toth said it honored all the Native Americans who lived in the area.

Part of the plaque under the sculpture reads ...
"The Kaskaskia, one of six Indian tribes of the Illiniwek confederacy lived in a large village along these shores. Other tribes included the Shawnee, Miami, and sub-tribes Wea and Piankeshaw. Also figuring in events of the late-era were Iroquois, Winnebago, Sac, Fox, Potawatomi, and Kickapoo."
During the dedication, Hayna Sine, a representative of the Winnebago tribe, and Toth smoked a peace pipe before circling the statue for a blessing from the four winds.
Sine explained the east wind signified the start of the day where the sun rises, the south being the warmth of the sun as it shines overhead, the west is for the sun's setting, and the north representing snow in the winter to enrich the soil and start of life again.
The 20-foot-tall statue at Starved Rock, named "Chief Walks with the Wind," was placed on June 13, 1989.
Although Toth said the sculpture served to commemorate all Native Americans, including those of the Illini Tribe Confederation, Sam "Chief Walks With the Wind" Sine of the Winnebago Nation was a specific inspiration. — Part of the plaque under the sculpture reads ... "The Kaskaskia, one of six Indian tribes of the Illiniwek confederacy lived in a large village along these shores. Other tribes included the Shawnee, Miami, and sub-tribes Wea and Piankeshaw. Also figuring in events of the late-era were Iroquois, Winnebago, Sac, Fox, Potawatomi, and Kickapoo."

During the dedication, Hayna Sine, a representative of the Winnebago tribe, and Toth smoked a peace pipe before circling the statue for a blessing from the four winds.

Sine explained the east wind signified the start of the day where the sun rises, the south being the warmth of the sun as it shines overhead, the west is for the sun's setting, and the north representing snow in the winter to enrich the soil and start of life again.

The 20-foot-tall statue at Starved Rock, named "Chief Walks with the Wind," was placed on June 13, 1989.

Although Toth said the sculpture served to commemorate all Native Americans, including those of the Illini Tribe Confederation, Sam "Chief Walks With the Wind" Sine of the Winnebago Nation was a specific inspiration.