WCU’s Land Acknowledgement

WCU’s LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Western Carolina University is situated within the ancestral homelands of the Cherokee people, twenty miles from present-day Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian communities of the Qualla Boundary. The campus occupies Two Sparrows Place (Tali Tsisgwayahi), an ancient principal town with a mound and council house where Killian Building now stands. Cullowhee, the university’s home, is Tsul’kalawi (or Judaculla’s Place). This giant being was the Great Teacher and steward of the natural world, and ancient stories about Judaculla tell of the Creator and creation, the origin of humans, and the proper way to be Cherokee. We at Western Carolina University inherit these stories so that we may better understand the deep significance of this beloved place and our role here.

ᎤᎾᏕᏅᎲ ᎠᏅᏱ ᏔᎵᏍᎪ ᎦᎵᏉᎩ ᏔᎵᎦᏴᎵ ᏔᎵᏍᎪᎯ

ᏭᏕᎵᎬᎢᏯᏗᏣ ᎦᏯᎴᏂ ᏭᎦᎸᎾᏗᎨ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎾᎥᎪᏒ ᏦᎩᎦᏴᎵ ᎤᎾᏕᏅᎢ ᏍᎩᎾ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ, ᏔᎵᏍᎪ ᎢᏳᏥᎶᏓ ᎾᎥ ᎪᎢᏳ ᎠᏁᎲ ᎧᎸᎬ ᎠᏁᎯ ᎤᎾᏓᏓᏍᎬ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᏍᎦᏚᎩ ᏚᏃᏒᎲ ᏆᎵ ᎠᏥᎶᎥᎢ.

ᎭᏂᏃ ᎢᏳᎬᎾᏕᎾ ᎠᏐᏯᏍᏗ ᏔᎵ ᏥᏍᏆᏯᎯ, ᎤᏪᏘ ᎤᏂᏚᏅ. ᎦᏓᎦᏒᏛᎢ ᏃᎴ ᏧᏂᎳᏫᎢᏍᏗ ᏄᎵᏍᏓᏅᎢ ᎭᎾ “Killian Building” ᏧᏙᎢᏓ ᏣᏓᏁᎸ ᏃᎢ.

ᎧᎳᏫᏱ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎪᏒᎲᎢ ᏧᎳᎧᎳᏫᏯᎯ ᏚᏙᎠ. ᎯᎠ ᎤᏔᎾ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏗ ᏗᏕᏲᎰᏍᎩ ᏃᎴ ᎠᎦᏘᏯ ᎯᎠ ᎡᎶᎯ, ᏃᎴ ᏧᏪᏘ ᏚᏂᏃᎮᎸ ᏧᎳᎧᎳ ᏧᏙᎢᏓ ᏕᎧᏃᎮ ᎤᏁᏝᏅᎯ ᏃᎴ ᎤᏬᏒᏅᎢ ᏴᏫ ᏧᎾᏓᎴᏅᎲ ᏃᎴ ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎢᎦᎳᏍᏙᏗ.

ᎭᏂ ᏭᏕᎵᎬ ᎦᏯᎴᏂ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᏙᏥᎩᎠ ᎯᎠ ᏗᎧᏃᎮᎸᎯ ᎠᎯᏗᎨ ᎣᎪᏟᏍᏗ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏓ ᎪᏟᏍᏗ ᎯᎭᏂ ᎦᎸᏉᏗ ᏥᎩ ᎢᎬᎾᏕᎾ ᏃᎴ ᎭᎭᏂ ᎢᏲᎦᏛᏁᏗᎯ.