Resident urges Spokane County to adopt brief land acknowledgement for Spokane people

At the Jan. 13 Spokane County Board of County Commissioners meeting, resident Susie Hokanson used the open public forum to urge the board to adopt a concise land acknowledgement recognizing the meeting’s location on the traditional ancestral, unceded territory of the Spokane people.

Hokanson, who identified her address as in the Lynnwood Annexation Area, recalled the doctrine of discovery and said it underpinned historical claims that allowed explorers to assert control over Indigenous lands. She highlighted local developments, saying the Salish school is breaking ground next month and that Jenny Slagle—identified by Hokanson as the new school board president and a Yakima tribal member—has prioritized building relationships with tribes and supporting students and families. She also noted a League of Women Voters two-year study of the state’s 29 tribes.

Hokanson offered suggested language for a short acknowledgement: “we acknowledge this gathering is on the traditional ancestral unceded territory of the Spokane people. We honor their elders past, present, and future.” She told commissioners the statement “is only 26 words” and said it need not be long.

No formal action on a land-acknowledgement policy was taken at the meeting. The item was delivered as public comment; commissioners did not discuss or vote on adopting a formal acknowledgement during this session.