Gonzaga Celebrates Installation of Lakota Artwork “The Dreamer”

On Wednesday, the Native American Cultural Appreciation Club (NACAC) invited the school community to celebrate the installation of “The Dreamer,” a painting by Lakota artist Joe Pulliam. The work powerfully evokes the spirituality of dreams, the connection with the Creator, and the Lakota people's sacred bond with the Black Hills.

Now hanging in the main hallway of Ruesch Cantwell, the painting is a generous gift from the Decker family. Its installation marks the culmination of a multi-year effort led by Will Decker ’25 to find a piece of Native American art that honors Gonzaga’s enduring relationship with American Indian communities.

At the ceremony, Fr. Lingan was joined by Joe Gaines—a member of the Choctaw Nation and a local Lakota drumming and singing group—as well as Will Decker ’25 and his parents, John Decker and Jennifer Short.

“As the former leader of the NACAC and with the help of Gonzaga, I have had so many opportunities to explore and learn about the world,” said Will Decker. “I’ve run over hills in Arizona, attended a sun dance in South Dakota, and walked the Mexican border. These experiences had a fundamental impact on my life. Putting up this painting has been an ongoing project over the past four years. I am extremely proud to say that Gonzaga has something uniquely meaningful hanging in its halls—a reflection of the bonds we have built with indigenous communities across the country.”