This collaborative design began with a story about family, motherhood, grief, a beloved tree, and a red hawk shared by Cheryl and Hilary. The story was embodied in this bench through intentional design decisions to create a place where folks can sit around the growing tree sprout and share the story with one another.

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The choice of red oak for the bench references the shubie tree and the red hawk from Hillary's story. The bench is supported by 13 round legs representing the 13 moons and the 13 poles used in many teepees. 5 round supporting legs protrude to full height to support a light backrest, referencing Cheryl’s teepee. Each leg has a copper foot, allowing the bench to exist without stone or concrete footings to respect how teepees touch the ground lightly and connect to the earth. It also represents copper vessels as a cultural symbol of femininity and ceremony. The bench is designed to fit into one of the four quadrants of a circle. The radius of the circle is 7’ representing the 7 sacred teachings.