The First of the Mohicans – Red Hook, Dutchess County, New York

This mural, entitled "Mohicans First Sighting," is dedicated to the people who settled in the Hudson Valley area prior to the arrival of westerners in the 17th century. In the mural, a young Mohican scout, walking in the midst of a forest, experiences his first sighting of a half moon illuminating the daytime sky. As you can imagine, the young scout is surprised by appearance of a moon during the day.

In the words of the artist, Gloria Cigolini-De Pietro, "Like the scout in the picture, we have all been overtaken by nature’s power at one point or another. … Unlike the Mohicans, and other Native American tribes, we have taken nature for granted through our continual exploitation of the environment. Without a respectful and caring relationship towards the natural world, we may lose access to the very gifts that are essential to our own survival. And for this reason alone, we need to start taking care of the world around us in the same way as our Native American brothers and sisters have done in the past."