Indigenous Student Association Seeks Thanksgiving Address at Commencement

By Mia Costa | December 1, 2025

Members of the Indigenous Student Association (ISA). 

Photo Credit: Savannah Swamp 

Following the Thanksgiving holiday, a time when conversations about gratitude and the country’s origins sharpen, the Indigenous Student Association (ISA) has been highlighting a different tradition of gratitude — the Thanksgiving Address — and questioning why it has not been included in UAlbany’s commencement ceremonies.

Since its founding in 2022, one of ISA’s earliest priorities has been to have the Thanksgiving Address, which is a message of gratitude traditionally recited by the Haudenosaunee, included at the University at Albany’s commencement ceremonies in May.

“It’s a better way to give a land acknowledgment than what they have now, which I feel is very performative,” said ISA president Savannah Swamp.

UAlbany’s current Campus Land Acknowledgment notes that the university sits on “the traditional lands of the Kanien’keháka and Muh-he-con-neok people,” also known as the Mohawk Haudenosaunee and Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans.

The acknowledgement also pledges a commitment to “cultivating reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities focused on equity, social justice, and sustainability – and dismantling legacies of colonization.” 

The acknowledgement appears on the university’s website and is accompanied by a YouTube video in which Swamp recites the Thanksgiving Address, also called the Ohen:ton Kariwatehkwen, a phrase that translates to “Words Before All Else.”

Swamp said that while the Thanksgiving Address is not related to the American holiday Thanksgiving, it carries a similar spirit of gratitude. 

“It’s a cultural teaching that focuses on connection, grounding yourself, responsibility and community,” Swamp said.

In 2022, ISA leadership launched a petition to include the Thanksgiving Address at commencement in May. Although promotion paused, the petition remains active today, and ISA is recommitting itself to the effort.

ISA leaders argue it should be included because the campus is built on Indigenous land and is home to many Indigenous students. They say the university should respect and honor their traditions.

The Office of the President said the Thanksgiving Address is not included at commencement because the ceremony “is designed to honor the diversity of the entire graduating class without focusing exclusively on any one group,” in response to the ASP in an email. The office also noted that “in recent years, the ceremony has featured both the land acknowledgment and the Haudenosaunee flag in the processional.”

The university also stated that it has incorporated the Thanksgiving Address into other campus celebrations to honor the Indigenous community, including the annual Lavender Celebration and Student Leadership Awards.

ISA leaders say previous leadership submitted a request to the Office of the President in 2022 asking for the Thanksgiving Address to be included at commencement, but it was not approved. 

However, the Office of the President said their records reflect no such request.

While ISA is advocating for the Thanksgiving Address to be included at commencement, ISA’s ambitions extend beyond a single ceremony. They hope it will be recited before meetings, athletic events and other major gatherings.

They point in particular to UAlbany’s Division I lacrosse games, which feature numerous Indigenous athletes on both the men’s and women’s teams. The sport itself originates with the Haudenosaunee, who first played it in what is now Upstate New York and parts of Canada.

Beyond the Thanksgiving Address, ISA leaders also expressed concerns about their perceived lack of university engagement during Native American Heritage Month (NAHM) in November.

ISA leadership said the university did invite them to participate in photos or media promoting NAHM this year. The Office of the President, however, said the university “proudly celebrates” the Indigenous student community and noted ISA's 2024 collaboration with UAlbany’s digital media team in creating the video of Swamp reciting the Thanksgiving Address.

When asked what NAHM means to her, ISA Treasurer Winaq Lamberto said, “It means that Indigenous people are still here…and that we’re not going anywhere!”

Similarly, Swamp said, “It’s a time to recognize that we’re still here and our culture is still strong.” She believes that many students are unfamiliar with Native American history and culture and sees NAHM as an opportunity to educate them.

ISA leadership said they will continue advocating for the Thanksgiving Address to be included at university commencement. They plan to raise the request with the Office of the President and intend to further educate the campus community about their culture through club events.

Looking forward, ISA leadership said they hope to see stronger institutional partnerships between the university and Indigenous Nations. They also want expanded curriculum offerings focused on Indigenous culture, history and language, as well as increased institutional visibility and support for ISA.