Indigenous Peoples’ Day on SOU campus
Written by Alex Karreman
Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day on SOU campus! This year there was a salmon bake open to everyone that served over 200 people. David West opened up the event with opening prayer and after food talked about the Oregon Nine Tribes flag project. After everyone was fed and watered the crowd moved inside for presentations on various projects that are happening in the community.
Toya Cooper the Vice President of SOU’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team talked about the team’s contributions to getting more Native representation on campus and the continued work that SOU does with Native communities around Ashland. Joe Scott talked about the Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program and how the SOU farm is trying to bring about more Indigenous practices on campus. Rowena Jackson brought a presentation on Klamath water and C’waam restoration. C’waam fish are only found in the Klamath rivers and were a source of survivance for the Klamath People. These fish are going extinct because of pollution in the Klamath waters. Shasta Takilma Learning Garden group discussed the ongoing gardens project that brings together two communities that have been in conflict in the past.
This project is still being worked on by many people including SOU students. With many other presentations from other amazing people. This event won’t have happened if it wasn’t for some incredible people and organizations working together. Thank you!
This event happened on October 10th, 2022.
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sou_ers_program
