Supporting Indigenous Land Reclamation Through Design

In Fall 2024, Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) lecturer Eric Henson led the course “Native Nations and Contemporary Land Use,” focusing on collaborations between GSD students and Indigenous tribes. As reported by Rachel May, a key partnership was with the Sac and Fox Nation, aiming to support their efforts in reclaiming ancestral lands in Illinois. This initiative reflects the broader “landback” movement, where Native nations strive to regain sovereignty over territories taken during colonization. 

GSD students Cayden Abu-Arja and Neady Oduor worked closely with Sac and Fox leaders, including Principal Chief Randle Carter and Business Committee Member Robert Williamson, to develop strategies for co-managing the Black Hawk State Historic Site. Their proposals encompassed cultural storytelling, revenue generation, and enhanced collaboration with Illinois state authorities. These efforts aim to reconnect the Sac and Fox people with their ancestral homeland and preserve their cultural heritage. 

The course also facilitated interactions between the Sac and Fox Nation and the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team, exploring innovative collaborations for cultural preservation and economic development. This partnership exemplifies how design education can play a pivotal role in supporting Indigenous sovereignty and land reclamation efforts, fostering mutually beneficial relationships between Native nations and external organizations.