The Springfield City Council proclaimed the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in honor and recognition of the fact that the City of Springfield is built upon the tribal homelands of the Kalapuya peoples. It is also in recognition of the inherent sovereignty of the nine federally recognized tribal nations in the State of Oregon and all Indigenous peoples everywhere.
As part of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the City has also raised flags from the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon at City Hall.
The proclamation states the City’s value of the many contributions made to our community through Indigenous peoples’ knowledge, labor, technology, science, philosophy, arts and the deep cultural contribution that has substantially shaped the character of the City of Springfield.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first proposed in 1977 by a delegation of Native Nations to the United Nations’ sponsored International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas.
The proclamation affirms that the City is committed to protecting and advocating for justice, human rights, and the dignity of all people who live and work in Springfield and vows to uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples endorsed by the United States on December 16, 2010.