Land Acknowledgement

Whitman College is located on the traditional homelands of the Cayuse, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Nez Perce, Palouse, and various other Sahaptin tribes. Their history on this land extends over 10,000 years, and this region is still home to many Indigenous peoples today, to whom we extend our respect. 

Whitman College as an institution has played an active part in the history of injustices committed against Indigenous peoples, including the glorification of the Whitman missionaries who not only brought about disease and assimilative practices but whose falsely-constructed legacy continues to blur history and erase Indigenous narratives. We commit to pushing Whitman College towards offering reparations, as it continues to occupy a portion of the 6.4 million acres of land that was ceded during the Walla Walla Treaty Council of 1855, a coerced treaty that has been broken many times. Whitman College and other profit-driven institutions have been working against Indigenous stewardship of the land and ecosystem, and we hold the school accountable for their contributions to global Climate Change and poor land management practices, both of which cause widespread harm to the Walla Walla Valley. 

We, as both individuals and those making up Whitman College’s student government, personally commit to respecting the autonomy and desires of the Native Peoples in this region and those of the greater Western World who have been stripped of their rights and respect. We vow to expose ourselves to Native and Indigenous perspectives, to challenge colonial methodologies of learning, to follow through with our documented agreement to ensure reciprocal collaboration between Whitman College and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and to ensure our collegiate institution rebukes Marcus Whitman and his imperialistic ideals of ethnic cleansing, displacement, and complete control.

This acknowledgement in no way expunges us of our collective responsibility to dismantle the settler colonialist state. Instead, it is intended to make us aware of our complicity in it and to offer tools for us to actively engage in meaningful education, dialogue, and action that serves the interests of Indigenous peoples everywhere. If you’d like to take the first step beyond acknowledgement, please consider attending a meeting for Whitman’s Indigenous Peoples’ Education and Culture Club (IPECC) or refer to our new webpage on ASWC’s site full of related resources, history, and a pronunciation guide.