Land Acknowledgement

We honor and acknowledge that Coal Creek Theater of Louisville operates, gathers, and creates on the traditional and unceded homelands of the Hinóno'éí (Arapaho), Tsitsistas (Cheyenne), and Núuchiu (Ute) Nations.

Indigenous peoples have cared for these lands for thousands of years, and Indigenous storytelling and performance traditions have thrived here long before European theater arrived. We recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations historically tied to what is now Colorado, and we acknowledge that Indigenous peoples continue to live, create, and thrive here today.

We also recognize the painful truth: colonization, genocide, and forced removal displaced Indigenous peoples from these lands. The Sand Creek Massacre of 1864, where Hinóno'éí and Tsitsistas people were killed by the U.S. Cavalry, happened in Colorado, and Louisville residents were part of that violence. That is part of our story.

We pay respect to Elders past, present, and future, and to the ongoing connection Indigenous peoples maintain with these ancestral homelands.

Learn More

Native Land Interactive Map – Interactive map showing Indigenous territories, languages, and treaties worldwide (explore)

History Colorado, Native American History & Heritage – Colorado-specific Indigenous history (read)

Native Knowledge 360° (Smithsonian) – Educational resources about Indigenous history, cultures, and contemporary communities (learn)

IllumiNative – Indigenous-led organization combating invisibility and building narrative power (visit)

Support Indigenous Communities in Colorado

Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs – State agency supporting Colorado's Indigenous communities and tribal relations (connect)

Denver Indian Center – Community hub serving Indigenous peoples in the Denver metro area (support)

Spirit of the Sun – Denver-based nonprofit supporting Indigenous youth and families (donate)