Hanadaga yas "Town Destroyer"

Set against a dark purple background with subtle shades of red, the piece presents all 47 U.S. presidential portraits arranged in rows with an eerie, haunting presence. At the center, George Washington’s portrait is significantly larger than the others, commanding attention to the composition. Across the eyes of each presidential portrait, the title Hanadaga yas is painted in yellow ochre using a cursive font reminiscent of the U.S. Constitution. Beneath Washington’s oversized portrait, the same title appears again, this time accompanied by its translation “Town Destroyer.” This name is how all Haudenosaunee Nations refer to every U.S. president, past and present. Each one inherits the title not only as a reminder of the original violence initiated by Washington, but also in accordance with Haudenosaunee tradition where leadership names and titles are passed down. When one of our leaders passes and a new one takes their place, the name continues on. In this way, Hanadaga yas becomes a symbol of the continuous legacy of destruction carried forward by each successive administration. The reason we haven’t changed the name Hanadaga yas is simple. In all this time, neither the American people nor any president has acknowledged, let alone apologized for the genocide committed against the Haudenosaunee. Until that happens, our leaders have no reason to change their names. And even then, that’s a big maybe