The Deaf Native Americans see the Bear Hunt statue as both the bear and the cubs and the two Indians as part of mother nature. They both got frightened. they both were attacked at the same time. Male Indians hunt for food while Indian mothers cook and sew at home. because it was that dangerous, and still is today. Indian hunters walk into mothers with children all the time. We see the statue a symbol of power, that we shall overcome. The Indian overcame his obstacles, including domination by colonialism. We see the Bear Hunt statue is beautiful. We do not see the Bear Hunt statue racist. Animal do not attack people as genocide. If people attack people, it would be genocide. To view the Bear Hunt statue as a statement of genocidal racism is, in our opinion, an overarching impression of this artwork. It is as it was.
 
"My Indian and bear present a full front, both in so full a vigor that who wins must forever be a question in the spectator's mind." 
-Douglas Tilden, 1892 (from the book: “Douglas Tilden: The Man and his Legacy” written by Mildred Albronda ISBN: 0-9637816-0-X)


Tilden’s quote means- that each one; the bear and the Indian, attacked each other which such force, that you the viewer will have to contemplate which one is the stronger of the two. It has nothing to do with racism. He was simply questioning who is stronger? Man or Mother Nature? So in effect, Douglas Tilden, the artist was glorifying the strength of Native Americans, not in any way making the Indian weak.
 
The Bear Hunt statue is over 125 years old, that is made by a world famous Deaf sculptor, Douglas Tilden.
 
Douglas Tilden was paid by California School for the Deaf, to study sculptures at École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. He was inspired by a German sculptor named, Max Klein, showing the captive Germanicus and a powerful lion. Tilden focused to making a human and animal sculpture. So, he thought of America, full spirit, and inspiration. He picked Indian and bear to represent America. The Bear Hunt was his art style of making the sculpture. Tilden had an idea for a picture he had wanted to make for a long time. He used an Indian and a bear, which reflects an American spirit. While in school, Tilden had a studio where he could work on the bears and Indian statue. When he finished the first sketch of the bear group, he learned from a friend that there was a similar work made by Emmanuel Fremiet. Tilden saw, it was a caveman and a bear. He thought about his bear and Indian:

My Indian and bear present a full front, both in so full a vigor that Who wins: must forever be a question in the spectator’s mind. 

His quote means each one; the bear and the Indian, attacked each other which such force, that the viewer will have to contemplate which one is the stronger of the two. He was simply questioning who is stronger? Man or Mother Nature? He wants people to come up with a story. That is what Tilden had wanted.  The Bear Hunt, with the Indian outfit, half naked and the headdress, was Tilden’s his own imagination and his art style. There are nearly 600 tribes with different Indian outfits and headdresses. And the Bear Hunt outfit and headdress, shows it as a very broad look. Noting as a simple outfit.
 
The Bear Hunt statue arrived at California School for the Deaf, Berkeley in February 28, 1895.
 
California School for the Deaf gave support to Tilden to study sculptures in France. CSD kept the statue to settle the debt and this is CSD legacy for helping Tilden’s rise to become a successful artist as well as Redmond Granville and Theophilus Hope d’Estrella.
 
The Bear Hunt statue has long been rooted at California School for the Deaf at Berkeley and now at Fremont. The statue has been many years of traditions of the school alumnus, staff and students, as they forever treasure it.

The Bear Hunt has never been shown as racist, nor any form of cultural appropriation, nor do we see any form of degrading upon the Deaf Native Americans.

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