Salem State University Land Acknowledgement

The land occupied by Salem State University is part of Naumkeag, a traditional and ancestral homeland of the Pawtucket band of the Massachusett. We acknowledge the genocide and forced removal of the people of Naumkeag and their kin and we recognize the ongoing colonization and dispossession of Indigenous homelands. We respect and honor the Massachusett tribe and the many Indigenous Peoples who continue to care for the land upon which we gather. We recognize our own responsibility to this land we occupy. We commit to continuously learning and sharing its history and that of the Massachusett and other Indigenous People who have been and remain here. We commit to develop and implement initiatives that work toward repairing the injustices continuously being committed on the Indigenous People of this land. We commit to making our own environmental impact on this land as sustainable as possible. We commit to a renewed and ongoing engagement with the Massachusett and all Indigenous People in and around Salem State.

 

What is a Land Acknowledgement and What Does it Do?

A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes the Indigenous People who are the traditional stewards of colonized land. In recognizing and naming them, a land acknowledgment seeks to honor the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.

A Land Acknowledgment serves as an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those on whose territory we reside, and it is a way of honoring the Indigenous People who have belonged to the land since time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought us to reside on the land, and to seek to understand our place within that history. Land Acknowledgements do not exist in past tense or solely in historical context: settler colonialism is a current and ongoing process that is present in everyday life. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.

Land Acknowledgement by itself is a small gesture. It becomes meaningful when coupled with authentic relationships and informed action. It is meant as a starting point toward greater public education, Indigenous sovereignty and cultural rights - a critical step toward equitable relationship and reconciliation.

Salem State University’s Land Acknowledgement includes commitments to continuously learn and share the history and stories of  the Massachusett and other Indigenous People who have been and remain here, develop and implement initiatives that work toward repairing the injustices continuously being committed on the Indigenous People of this land,  make our own environmental impact on this land as sustainable as possible, and to engage with the Massachusett and all Indigenous People in and around the Salem State community. An initial set of plans and projects that manifest those commitments can be found here. In that spirit, we are pleased to announce Salem State’s  Indigenous Peoples’ Scholarship which will be first awarded in fall 2026.

Use and Future Recommendations

More Information on Salem State's Land Acknowledgement

How was Salem State's Land Acknowledgement Developed?

Salem State’s Land Acknowledgment was developed in 2022-2023 under the Office of Inclusive Excellence in collaboration with the Student Government Association, the Office of the Provost, the History Department, and the Center for Civic Engagement, and individual faculty and students who volunteered their time. It was developed in close consultation with the Massachusett as well as with the City of Salem. It was approved by the President’s Executive Council in Spring 2023.

Historical Context for our Acknowledgment of the Pawtucket band of the Massachusett

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts derives its name from the Massachusett. The Pawtucket band of the Massachusett lived in Namukeag, or fishing place, which we now know as Salem.  Their descendants and kin continue to live in and around Salem. The Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag is the current seat of the Massachusett. For more historical context, see  The People Here: Interrogating Indigenous Dispossession of the Land Occupied by Salem State University.

Who are our Indigenous Neighbors?

Along with the Massachusett, New England, has long been and remains home to many Indigenous People. Neighboring the Massachusett and Salem are the Wabanaki Confederacy to North, the Nipmuc and Agawam to the West, and the Wampanoag to the South. There are only two federally recognized tribes in Massachusetts today. The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) acquired federal recognition in 1987 and the Mashpee Wampanoag in 2007. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts additionally recognized the Nipmuc Nation in 1976.

How are Indigenous Peoples part of Salem State University’s community today?

0.02% of Salem State students, 0.001 % of Salem State employees, 0.33% of Salem residents, and 0.2% of Massachusetts residents identify as Native American in demographic reporting. Note that because few Indigenous tribes in Massachusetts are federally recognized, it is especially complicated to gather accurate demographic information.

What is the City of Salem’s Land Acknowledgment and engagement with the Massachusett?

The City of Salem acknowledges the Massachusett Tribe who continue to honor and hold the land of Salem into the present. Additionally, the Public Art Commission developed installations such as the Naumkeag Portrait and expansion of Camp Naumkeag to commemorate and celebrate the Indigenous Peoples of Naumkeag. The City of Salem also recently developed a Race Equity Task Force in 2020 to identify a more equitable approach to City services, education, health, and public safety. Read the City of Salem’s Land Acknowledgment and more information.

Was the land occupied by Salem State ceded or deeded by the Massachusett?

The City of Salem holds a deed to its land. The Massachusett Tribe do not claim that they hold any legal right to the land or that they are owed any legal reparations. At the same time, we must recognize and contend with the coercive conditions in which the deed was transferred as well as the institutional structures and processes that denied the Massachusett equal rights on that land once it became public. Read more on land deeds in and around Salem, including a link to the deep for Salem.

Additional Resources

Back to top