"Acknowledgment is a simple, powerful way of showing respect and a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture and toward inviting and honoring the truth. Imagine this practice widely adopted: imagine cultural venues, classrooms, conference settings, places of worship, sports stadiums, and town halls, acknowledging traditional lands. Millions would be exposed—many for the first time—to the names of the traditional Indigenous inhabitants of the lands they are on, inspiring them to ongoing awareness and action."

~ From the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture Honor Native Land: A Guide and Call to Acknowledgment

The Oregon state Legislative Commission on Indian Services (LCIS) released guidance on land acknowledgments. LCIS is composed of a representative from each of the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon, as well as two state senators and representatives. The guidance is available on LCIS’s Education page by clicking “Expand to View” in the first section, “Land Acknowledgement Guidance”. LCIS emphasizes that Tribes and tribal members have varying thoughts about the value of such statements. The linked page and LCIS’s website generally include other valuable information about Tribal and local/state government-to-government relations, Tribal sovereignty, cultural artifact repatriation, and more.

OSU Corvallis Land Acknowledgement

Oregon State University recognizes the impact that its land grant history had on Indigenous communities in Oregon. Through the Morrill Act of 1862, which established land grant universities in the United States, the federal government seized nearly 11 million acres of land from 250 sovereign tribal nations, with little or no compensation.

In 1868, the state legislature designated Corvallis College as Oregon’s land grant institution. Soon after, Oregon received 90,000 acres of federal lands — taken from the Klamath, Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw and Coquille people — to be sold to create an endowment supporting the growth of the new college, which would become Oregon State University.

Oregon State University in Corvallis is located within the traditional homelands of the Marys River or Ampinefu Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855, Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians. Indigenous people are valued, contributing members of the Oregon State community and represent multiple sovereign tribes among students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Oregon State University accepts its responsibility for understanding the continuing impact of that history on these communities. Oregon State is committed — in the spirit of self-reflection, learning, reconciliation and partnership — to ensure that this institution of higher learning will be of enduring benefit, not only to the state of Oregon, but also to the people on whose ancestral lands it is now located.

OSU Corvallis Land Acknowledgement

OSU Cascades (Bend) Land Acknowledgement

OSU-Cascades recognizes past and present contributions of Indigenous people. Oregon State University recognizes the impact that its land grant history had on Indigenous communities in Oregon. Through the Morrill Act of 1862, which established land grant universities in the United States, the federal government seized nearly 11 million acres of land from 250 sovereign tribal nations, with little or no compensation.

In 1868, the state legislature designated Corvallis College as Oregon’s land grant institution. Soon after, Oregon received 90,000 acres of federal lands — taken from the Klamath, Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw and Coquille people — to be sold to create an endowment supporting the growth of the new college, which would become Oregon State University.

Oregon State University - Cascades in Bend, Oregon is located within the traditional homelands of the Wasq'u (Wasco) and Tana'nma (Warm Springs) people who legally retain customary hunting, fishing and gathering rights to the region, and who have been stewards of this land since time immemorial. Numu (Paiute) peoples were forcibly relocated to this region from the area of Lake, Harney, and Malheur counties in Oregon. Today, the living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. It is OSU-Cascades' intent and responsibility to work with tribes to recognize Indigenous rights in the region. Indigenous people are valued, contributing members of the Oregon State community and represent multiple sovereign tribes among students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Oregon State University accepts its responsibility for understanding the continuing impact of that history on these communities. Oregon State is committed — in the spirit of self-reflection, learning, reconciliation, and partnership — to ensure that this institution of higher learning will be of enduring benefit, not only to the state of Oregon, but also to the people on whose ancestral lands it is now located.

OSU Cascades (Bend) Land Acknowledgement

The Presidents Commission on Indigenous Affairs developed a land acknowledgement guidance for departments and programs to move towards those next steps while thinking critically about their roles in upholding OSU’s commitments to Tribal nations and Indigenous people.

"Beyond Awareness: Deepening Understandings of Land Acknowledgement Practices" Created by Luhui Whitebear, PhD, Kobe Natachu, Roman Cohen, Alicia Duncan & Charlene Martinez, Oregon State University

"Oregon State expands efforts to serve Indigenous communities" Life@OSU, November 9, 2022

Land Acknowledgments are not a substitute for actions in support of social justice initiatives. A Land Acknowledgment can be the opening of a conversation not an ending. Please note this list is only a small sample of materials:

• Ambo, T., & Rocha Beardall, T. (2023). Performance or Progress? The Physical and Rhetorical Removal of Indigenous Peoples in Settler Land Acknowledgments at Land-Grab Universities. American Educational Research Journal, 60(1), 103–140. https://doi-org.oregonstate.idm.oclc.org/10.3102/00028312221141981 (OSU account required for access)
• Acknowledging Native Lands in The Corvallis Advocate featuring Luhui Whitebear, Center Director, Kaku-Ixt Mana Ina Haws and Assistant Professor
• "What are land acknowledgements and why do they matter?" and "Land acknowledgements are a good first step, but there’s a lot more work to be done" by indigenous writer Selena Mills
• "Why Land Acknowledgments Matter" by Chip Colwell, founding editor-in-chief of SAPIENS
• Guide to Indigenous Land and Territorial Acknowledgements for Cultural Institutions Developed by: Felicia Garcia (Chumash), M.A. Museum Studies, New York University, 2018 with Jane Anderson, Museum Studies, New York University.
• OSU Extension Service and Outdoor School: Territorial Acknowledgements
• "'I regret it': Hayden King on writing Ryerson University's territorial acknowledgement" by Hayden King, an Anishinaabe writer and educator who works at Ryerson University
• "Are you planning to do a Land Acknowledgment?" American Indians in Children's Literature March 2019 blog post
• "Land-grab universities: Expropriated Indigenous land is the foundation of the land-grant university system" by Robert Lee and Tristan Ahtone, with the OSU related information here: OSU Land Grant History and Indigenous Land
• The US government took the land of Oregon’s native people 170 years ago this week By John Notarianni (OPB), Sept 27, 2020
• ‘Land Acknowledgments’ Are Just Moral Exhibitionism by Graeme Wood in The Atlantic
• "A guide to Indigenous land acknowledgments" by the Native Governance Center