Land Acknowledgement Statement
The campuses within the Southern Illinois University System have adopted land acknowledgment statements to recognize and honor the original inhabitants of the lands upon which each campus resides. These statements are action-oriented and reflect a collective commitment to building relationships with and supporting Indigenous communities.
SIUE’s Land Acknowledgement Statement was drafted by the faculty of SIUE's Native American Studies Program and others. The Statement can be made at the beginning of lectures, ceremonies, and public gatherings.
SIUE Land Acknowledgement Statement
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville exists in and serves a region that includes the lands of the Kiikaapoi (treaty in Edwardsville, 1819); The Illinois Confederacy, including the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, Cahokia, and Tamaroa (treaty in Edwardsville, 1818); Dhegiha Siouan peoples; and others. We affirm their contemporary and ancestral ties to the land and their contributions to this place. In alignment with the academic mission of the institution, we are committed to building responsible relationships with indigenous communities through the development of educational pathways and opportunities for indigenous students and the advancement of research and knowledge about indigenous peoples, cultures, and histories.
Pronunciations: Cahokia, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, Peoria, Tamaroa, Kiikaapoi, and Dhegiha Siouan
SIUE Land Acknowledgement Display
SIUE presents our Land Acknowledgement Statement with a display at the north entrance of the Morris University Center. The display includes art pieces highlighting contemporary and past Native artists. This display is designed to demonstrate that Native Americans have been present on this land since immemorial and are still here. Learn more about the pieces currently on display.
