The City of Tempe’s 40 square miles are the historic homelands of the O’odham, Piipaash and their ancestors, according to an official acknowledgement approved unanimously by the City Council.  

In January 2021, the Mayor and Council approved a resolution commemorating the historical and cultural significance of the historic homelands in Tempe of the O'odham, Piipaash and their ancestors. Read the resolution here. 

The official statement approved by Tempe City Council is: 

We wish to acknowledge that Tempe is the homeland of the Native people who have inhabited this landscape since time immemorial. Anthropological studies document large and advanced Ancestral O’odham settlements located throughout the entirety of present-day Tempe and recognize the ancestral lands of the O’odham (known as the Pima), Piipaash (known as the Maricopa), and their ancestors as extending far beyond our community. This land continues to be spiritually connected to the O’odham of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and Gila River Indian Community. The SRP-MIC and GRIC, located northeast and south of Tempe, respectively, are confederations of two unique groups with their own languages, customs, cultures, religions, and histories; the O’odham and the Piipaash. Both the O’odham and the Piipaash are oral history cultures. 

The landscape is sacred to the O’odham and Piipaash and reflects cultural values that are central to their way of life and their self-definition. Their oral history and song culture are indelibly tied to tangible places that are associated with specific historic, cultural, and religious values. Settlement patterns, advanced irrigation practices, and other lifeways driven by a deep understanding of and respect for the landscape are directly attributable to the ancestors of the O’odham and Piipaash and served as the template for the establishment of Tempe. We accept the responsibility of stewarding those places and solemnly pledge to consider this commitment in every action. 

The statement can now be part of city educational programs, ceremonies and holiday observances, and it will be considered in discussions and decisions about land use and other aspects of the city’s development. 

Tempe City Councilmember Doreen Garlid, the city's first elected Native American City Councilmember, and former Councilmember Lauren Kuby led the charge to have the city consider the land acknowledgement.

The City of Tempe has a history of working in partnership with the Four Southern Tribes, which are the Ak-Chin Indian Community, Gila River Indian Community, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and Tohono O’odham Nation. 

In particular, the partnership has involved the care and maintenance of Tempe Butte/Oidbaḍ Do’ag, located near Tempe Town Lake. In recent years in that area, the city has undergrounded power lines, removed communication towers from the summit, minimized the visual impact of the water tanks, and cleaned up graffiti. Tempe works collaboratively on responsible, respectful archaeological work when planning, approving and building public or private developments. The city also reserves a seat on the Desert Conservation Commission for a representative from a tribal nation.