The Passage is a permanent exhibit near the aquarium, and pays tribute to the seven clans of the Cherokee Nation through symbolism.
The Trail of Tears, when Cherokee tribes were forced from their lands in Chattanooga to Oklahoma, started nearby. The Passage is a walkway, where people can see the Weeping Wall, representing the tears shed as Cherokees were forced from their homes and made to walk the Trail of Tears. 7 disks along the Weeping Wall tell the story of the Cherokee Nation. Facing the Tennessee River are 7 figures playing stickball. Playing the important game of stickball provided a way for members of the Cherokee Nation to settle disagreements, even to the point of players getting injured or killed.
Just my opinion, but I think this a valuable exhibit that should be maintained a lot better and treated with respect. During my visit, to The Passage, there were a lot of people wading in the water, and wall that the stainless steel stickball players are on appeared water damaged. read more