Excitement lit up the faces of children and adults alike, as they eagerly decorated their own native jewelry, traditional to coastal tribes. The week’s first Indigenous Peoples Day reception established a sense of community among Corvallis residents of all ages, who also scooped their own tea leaves and tried new foods.
From Oct. 14 to 17, Oregon State University is hosting a variety of events dedicated to honor Indigenous students, faculty members, and community. From art shows to guest speakers, OSU students are welcome to attend for free.
On Monday at 9am, the first event of Indigenous Peoples Week took place in the Peavy Forest Science Center.
The event began with Cristina Eisenberg, Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Director of Tribal Initiatives in Natural Resources, expanding beyond a standard Land Acknowledgement.
“Celebrating Indigenous Peoples day is just one step in the right direction,” Eisenberg said during the Land Acknowledgement.
Eisenberg advocated for commitment to ensure a better future for Indigenous people, starting with recognition and awareness.
After Eisenberg’s opening remarks, Ashley Russell, a natural resources student in the College of Forestry took the podium.
In addition to being a student, Russell is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. Russell gave a blessing of thanks as well as a blessing of the food, traditional to her tribe.
Russell also expressed gratitude towards OSU for extending the celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day to a full week.
“When [the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians] had celebrations, normally they’d last a week to 10 days, so it’s great to have this opportunity,” Russell said.
Following these remarks guests participated in the free, hands-on activities and enjoyed a buffet of traditional foods spanning from salmon to mushrooms.
Luhui Whitebear, a coordination and assistant professor of Indigenous Studies and Chumash native, was present behind a table displaying a variety of native plants.
Guests were invited to blend their own tea using rose petals, rose hips, and licorice root, along with elderberry, blackberry, and nettle leaves.
Whitebear hoped the hands-on experiences will help guests develop a deeper understanding of the matters affecting tribes today.
“[Indigenous people] are not a people of the past,” Whitebear said.
Guests of all ages were also invited to decorate marine scaphopod mollusks with paint pens, to represent the decorative markings that natives traditionally adorn them with.
The mollusks, called dentalium, have seen decreasing populations in the past years. This makes them difficult to find and harvest for Indigenous practices.
Jaques hopes people take away a newfound realization of today’s environmental issues as well as the human connection.
One attendant, Brome McCreary, is making an effort to attend the other Indigenous peoples events during the remainder of this week as well.
“There’s a lot of pain and healing that needs to happen,” McCreary said.
The public is invited to attend all of OSU’s Indigenous Peoples Week events this week.
“Healing is about building relationships across cultures,” Eisenberg said.
All throughout October, the Valley Library has displayed the Oregon Historical Society’s, “Oregon Is Indian Country.” A reception for this traveling collection of colorful banners presenting information about federally-recognized Oregon tribes, was held in the Autzen Classroom on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, a screening of “Life Over Lithium,” took place in the Memorial Union Ballroom, followed by a discussion with panelists Daranda Hinkey and Kaila Farrell-Smith after the viewing. This film documents the People of Red Mountain’s fight against a proposed lithium mine.
On Thursday at 5 p.m. the President’s Commission on Indigenous Affairs will host an “OSU Indigenous Community Welcome” event at Kaku-Ixt Mana Ina Haws (Native American Longhouse).
All are welcome to enjoy the artistry found within traditional Indigenous practices, and learn about both their history as well as contemporary issues during this Indigenous People’s Week at OSU.
