City of Eugene, OR

10/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/29/2024 09:00

Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month, commonly known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. There are many opportunities to celebrate the heritage of Native Americans in our region and to learn more about the rich histories of Oregon Tribes and that continue to make contributions in our communities here and across the lands. Please consider joining us for the following events and public art installations that will be available throughout the month of November.

Events

Communities of Color & Allies Network First Friday Event

Friday, Nov. 1 • 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Atrium Building

Hosted by City of Eugene Office of Equity & Inclusion

Join a fun-filled evening of connection and celebration at the Communities of Color and Allies Network (CCAN) First Friday, hosted by the Equity and Community Consortium (ECC). All are welcome to this all-ages event with free food, networking opportunities and community building. Bring your family and loved ones to connect with others in a relaxing space where you can make new friends and build meaningful relationships. This month's event will honor Native American Heritage Month. Free, and no registration required. More information.

Native American Arts & Crafts Makers Fashion Show

Friday, Nov. 1 • 5:30 p.m.

Farmers Market Pavilion

Presented by Native American Arts & Crafts Makers and City of Eugene Cultural Services

Native and Indigenous artists and designers bring their personal style and designs to the Eugene Native American Arts & Crafts Makers (NAACM) inaugural fashion show, "Futurism Inspired by Tradition." The community is invited to celebrate Native and Indigenous Fashion and Design and enjoy performances by Traditional and Contemporary Native American dancers and artists. The evening's program will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the fashion show beginning at 7 p.m. Artworks created by Native American Arts & Crafts Makers will be on display and available for purchase. Fashion show details

Native American Arts & Crafts Makers

Sunday, Nov. 3 • 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Farmers Market Pavilion

Presented by Native American Arts & Crafts Makers and City of Eugene Cultural Services

Come to the Farmers Market Pavilion for the First Sunday Native American Arts & Crafts Makers event and shop for authentic jewelry, beadwork, clothing, fine arts and crafts by local and regional Native and Indigenous artists. This event is held every first Sunday of the month thru December 2024 at the Farmers Market Pavilion, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Event details

Installations

City Hall Gallery - Confluence: A Community Art Exhibition

On display through Jan 12, 2025

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

City Hall, 500 E. 4th Ave.

This exhibition features a stunning collection of artworks by regional artists that span a spectrum of mediums and art practices, including traditional basket weaving, intricate wood carving, vibrant paintings, oil on canvas and delicate ink on paper creations. The rich tapestry of cultural and artistic expression celebrates and defines our arts community. This exhibition is more than just art; it is a testament to the voices of Eugene and a vision for the future of public spaces. City Hall Gallery details

Kalapuya Talking Stones

Kalapuya Talking Stones are situated throughout the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park and Springfield. The collection of fifteen basalt boulders, carved with Yoncalla Kalapuya words, revive Kalapuya language and honor indigenous culture through symbols that reflect the importance of traditional hunting and fishing grounds. Self-Guided tour map (PDF)

This is Kalapuyan Land Exhibit

Farmers Market Pavilion

In partnership with Five Oaks Museum, the City of Eugene is honored to present "This IS Kalapuyan Land " at the Farmers Market Pavilion. This exhibit opened in 2019 as a physical installation at Portland's Five Oaks Museum by Guest Curator Steph Littlebird Fogel (Grand Ronde, Kalapuya) and became an online exhibition in 2020. Fogel annotated panels from the museum's outdated and problematic exhibit on Kalapuyan people, curated contemporary Native artwork into the exhibition and added historical content from Dr. David G. Lewis, a preeminent scholar on Western Oregon Tribes.

President Biden Remarks on October 25, 2024

October 25, 2024 Remarks by President Biden on the Biden-⁠Harris administration's record of delivering for tribal communities, including keeping his promise to make this historic visit to Indian country | Laveen Village, AZ

"...Long before there was a United States, Native communities flourished on these lands. They practiced democratic government before we ever heard of it, developed advanced agriculture, contributed to science, art, and culture... the United States was established and began expanding, entering treaties with sovereign Tribal Nations. But as time moved on, respect for Tribal sovereignty evaporated, was shattered, pushing Native people off their homelands, denying their humanity and their rights, targeting children to cut their connection to their ancestors and their inheritance and their heritage."

The Federal Indian Boarding School policy and the pain it has caused will always be a significant mark of shame, a blot on American history. For too long, this all happened with virtually no public attention, not written about in our history books-

I have a solemn responsibility to be the first president to formally apologize to the Native peoples-Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Native Alaskans-and [at] Federal Indian Boarding Schools. It's long, long, long overdue. Quite frankly, there's no excuse that this apology took 50 years to make. The Federal Indian Boarding School policy and the pain it has caused will always be a significant mark of shame, a blot on American history.

-President Joe Biden

Learn More

The City of Eugene is built within the traditional homelands known as Kalapuya Ilihi. Kalapuya descendants are citizens of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon, they continue to make contributions in our communities here and across the lands.

Visit the websites for the organizations listed below for more information about the Indigenous histories of Oregon and to learn how you can support Indigenous communities.

The Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon

Burns Paiute Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, Confederated, Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Coquille Indian Tribe, Cow Creek, Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Klamath Tribes. Learn more about the nine tribes.

Lane Community College Longhouse

This multi-use facility available to all students and provides program and classroom space for culturally appropriate activities. Longhouse information

Many Nations Longhouse

Many Nations Longhouse serves as a place of respite for American Indian/Alaskan Native students at the University of Oregon as they navigate their academic endeavors.

Native Land Digital

Native Land Digital creates spaces where non-Indigenous people are invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit

Mission is to bring our missing indigenous women home and help the families cope and support them through the process of grief. MMIWG2S information

LANDBACK

LANDBACK is a movement that has existed for generations with a long legacy of organizing and sacrifice to get Indigenous Lands back into Indigenous hands.