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Honoring Indigenous People’s Day

The University of Washington acknowledges the Coast Salish peoples of this land, the land that touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations. To learn more about the land you live on, we recommend consulting Native Land.

Indigenous People’s Day is a celebration and honoring of the past, present, and futures of Native People in lieu of Columbus Day. On this day, we recognize the histories, cultures and contributions of Native people in Washington state and beyond. To learn more about connections between Indigenous communities and the University of Washington, the Office of External Affairs recommends the following resources as a starting point.

Take the Indigenous Walking Tour – Authored by Owen Oliver, a recent UW graduate, the tour highlights the Indigenous presence on campus, including stops at the Burke Museum and wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ Intellectual House. A virtual version of the tour is available courtesy of UW News.

Visit the Burke MuseumThe Burke Museum cares for and shares natural and cultural collections so all people can learn, be inspired, generate knowledge, feel joy and heal. The Burke holds significant collections of Northwest and Alaskan Native art, archaeology and historical archives, which are actively used by Native artists, scholars, students, Tribal leaders and community members. Relationships maintained between indigenous communities and the Burke Museum preserve the ingenuity, creativity, science and complex knowledge of natural and cultural resources.

Check out UW In Your Community – The UW is proud to partner with many tribal nations, tribal citizens and descendants connected to Washington territories. UW In Your Community’s Tribal Nations page highlights some of the many ways the UW collaborates with tribal citizens and supports Native students. For a more comprehensive list of resources, we recommend the UW Tribal Relations Resource Directory.