The School of Leadership Studies invites you to join with us in acknowledging the homelands of the Spokane Tribal People, where Gonzaga University currently resides. We wish to recognize the Indigenous peoples who have been dispossessed and displaced from their ancestral and spiritual homes and the taking of their land through colonization.
We further acknowledge that the land where the School of Leadership Studies is located holds the cultural DNA and the Spirit of the First People of this place: “The People of the River.” The Spokane Tribe’s ancestors inhabited much of northeastern Washington, which consisted of approximately 3 million acres. It is their ancestors who are here and bring forth the power of this place. We ask that they also assist us with respecting the practices and the knowledge that comes from the land.
We recognize that land acknowledgement is only a first step towards honoring the contributions of Native Americans and Indigenous peoples today and continue to strive towards policies and practices that bring about justice and reconciliation. We are grateful to be on this land, for the people that stewarded it, and ask for its support as we work to manifest our intentions during this gathering of hearts, minds, and spirits.
