The Columbus Monument: A Hermeneutical Analysis

Christopher Columbus, a historically revered European hero to whom the dominant European narrative attributes the discovery of America, but whose image and legacy symbolize silenced genocide of the Indigenous Peoples of America and the Caribbean, has become a controversial figure. This paper explores the symbolic representation of the statue of Christopher Columbus for both sides of the conflict – the Italian Americans who erected it at the Columbus Circle in New York City and in other places on the one hand, and the Indigenous Peoples of America and the Caribbean whose ancestors were slaughtered by the European invaders, on the other. Through the lenses of historical memory and conflict resolution theories, the paper is guided by the hermeneutics – critical interpretation and understanding – of the statue of Christopher Columbus as I experienced it during my research at this site of memory. In addition, the controversies and current debates that its public presence in the heart of Manhattan evokes are critically analyzed. In doing this hermeneutical cum critical analysis, three main questions are explored. 1) How could the statue of Christopher Columbus as a controversial historical monument be interpreted and understood? 2) What do the theories of historical memory tell us about the monument of Christopher Columbus? 3) What lessons can we learn from this controversial historical memory to better prevent or resolve similar conflicts in the future and build a more inclusive, equitable and tolerant New York City and America? The paper concludes with a gaze into the future of New York City as an example of a multicultural, diverse city in America