Ten years ago this past February, Clevelander Gia Hoa Ryan, a native of Vietnam, and Cleveland lawyer Joe Meissner, a Vietnam War Veteran, first met with the City of Cleveland to discuss the possibility of adding a Vietnamese Cultural Garden to the 35 or more nationality themed gardens along Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Now, ten years after that planning session, and three years after the official dedication, the Cleveland Vietnamese Cultural Garden marked a significant milestone. On Friday November 3, Gia Hoa’s dream came true with the installation of a statue of a young Vietnamese woman named Mother Vietnam.
The nine-foot white marble statue, atop a six-foot base, is the centerpiece of the garden and a prime attraction for the north end of MLK drive, specifically 711 MLK Boulevard, just below the Cleveland Greenhouse. The statue is the result of the labors, craftmanship and artistry of Vietnamese artists and laborers from a stone quarry near Da Nang, Vietnam, whose white marble is world renowned.
The road to Cleveland from Vietnam has not been easy for the statuesque lady, whose hair and dress blows in the winds off Lake Erie. The original statue, completed over three years ago, was damaged and had to be replaced. This delayed the project, and during the delay, the shipping cost went up some $20,000. Once the new statue was completed earlier this year, it took a three-month sea journey to California and then via rail to Cleveland.
Once the statue arrived in Cleveland, she was entrusted to the Malino Monument Company, which handled the delivery and delicate installation, an undertaking that involved two delivery trucks, a crane, six skilled workmen and disruption of the traffic on MLK Boulevard for most of Friday morning.
The cost of the entire project tops more than a million dollars which includes landscaping, stone walkways and installation of a retaining wall. The project was financed through private contributions but mostly by Gia Hoa Ryan, who sees the project as her contribution to the city and demonstrates her appreciation for what Cleveland has done for her, her family and the many Vietnamese refugees who have settled here.
More than just the image of a young Vietnamese woman in traditional dress, the statue represents the unification of the country of Vietnam after the long war and symbolizes the good relations which now exist between the United States and the Republic of Vietnam, and the people of the two countries. But Mrs. Ryan also stresses that she wants the statue to honor the veterans of the Vietnamese War, both American and Vietnamese, and the sacrifices they endured, many of whom still suffer trauma from the effects of the war.
Cleveland’s Cultural Gardens are one of the city’s hidden treasures. Located on land donated to the city by John D. Rockefeller, stretching from Euclid Avenue to the Memorial Shoreway, the gardens symbolize the diverse cultures that make Cleveland the metropolitan city that it is.
The unique concept started in 1916 with the Shakespeare Garden, which eventually became the British Cultural Garden. It was followed by gardens representing many Eastern European countries. It was not until 1977 that plans came to fruition for the African American Cultural Garden, followed by the Chinese garden in 1985 and the Indian garden 2005, with additional gardens representing nations around the world in planning stages.
For the last 75 years the gardens have attracted attention through its One World Celebration, celebrated each year on the last weekend in August. This event brings people from all over northern Ohio to celebrate their ethnic heritage.
During a period in our history when our country seems more divided than unified, the Cultural Gardens represent what our nation is supposed to be — a place where each person can honor their ethnic heritage and be a loyal American.
As the winds of winter blow in off Lake Erie, a drive down Cleveland’s scenic MLK Drive with the beautiful fall foliage and architectural masterpieces that form the overpasses, it is good to reflect on Cleveland’s multicultural heritage, the beauty of “The Land” and the beauty of people like Gia Hoa Ryan who came to this country in 1971 with little or nothing but made a life for herself and her children and now gives back, not just for now but for generations to come.
C. Ellen Connally is a retired judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court. From 2010 to 2014 she served as the President of the Cuyahoga County Council. An avid reader and student of American history, she is a former member of the Board of the Ohio History Connection, and past president of the Cleveland Civil War Round Table, and is currently vice president of the Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument Commission. She holds degrees from BGSU, CSU and is all but dissertation for a PhD from the University of Akron.
3 Responses to “POINT OF ORDER: A New Chapter for Cleveland’s Vietnamese Cultural Garden by C. Ellen Connally”
Mel Maurer
We’ll said.
Tom Simiele
A great explanation of both the history of the cultural gardens and the new Vietnamese garden with its beautiful statue. Almost the moment you pull into MLK Drive from the Shoreway the beautiful white marble statue catches your eye.
Kathryn Kwiatkowski
This is an absolutely stunning, beautiful statue that enjoy seeing every day while driving along MLK, Jr. Blvd. to work. Thank you to the artist and the Vietnamese community.