Colorado State University Spur and the National Western Center are actively co-creating a statement of Land Acknowledgment; however, it is important to state that CSU Spur acknowledges and honors the traditional and ancestral homelands of Native and Indigenous peoples which our campus is located on.
CSU Spur is working toward meaningful engagement with Indigenous leaders and community. Indigenous leaders engaged in the opening of Vida and Terra by sharing CSU’s Land Acknowledgment and a building blessing at public events. Cherokee Nation Elder John Gritts also did a smudging ceremony in the Vida, Terra, and Hydro spaces when they opened in January 2022, June 2022, and January 2023 respectively.
Why do we have a land acknowledgment statement?
Countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and many U.S. tribal nations and various universities open events and gatherings by acknowledging the traditional Indigenous peoples of that land. The acknowledgment is a way of offering respect to traditional Indigenous citizens, both those who have come before and those currently living here; correcting the practice of erasing Indigenous people’s history; and recognizing that Indigenous peoples are still a vital part of our country’s lands and future. Land acknowledgments move us towards reconciliation and the decolonization of Indigenous cultures.
