West Virginia University Held 34th Peace Tree Ceremony
The annual Morgantown event gathered participants to honor the history of the Haudenosaunee Peace Tree.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Botany
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West Virginia University hosted its 34th annual Peace Tree Ceremony at the Downtown Campus in Morgantown. The event honored the legacy of the Haudenosaunee Peace Tree, which originated in New York over 600 years ago.
Why it matters
The ceremony serves as a consistent effort to honor the concept of peace and the historical traditions associated with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. It connects the local community to a cross-cultural lineage of peace-building.
The ceremony marks the 34th annual iteration of this event at the Morgantown campus. It honors a tradition that traces back to the original Peace Tree planted over 600 years ago in New York.
The players
Cedric Woods
Professor Cedric Woods served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony.
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is the public research institution that hosts the annual Peace Tree Ceremony.
The details
Participants performed a land acknowledgement, sang the Lakota Four Directions song, and tied ribbons onto the tree. The ceremony concluded with attendees scattering sacred tobacco to honor the history of the Haudenosaunee Peace Tree.
Timeline
September 12, 1992: The original Peace Tree was planted at West Virginia University.
1996: The university Peace Tree was vandalized and cut down.
October 1996: The current university Peace Tree was planted.
September 2026: The 34th annual Peace Tree Ceremony was held.
Deeper Dive
The current tree represents a continuation of a legacy dating back over six centuries to the original Haudenosaunee Peace Tree. This annual event bridges historical indigenous traditions with modern university life.
Local community members and students can participate in future ceremonies to engage with regional history and peace-building efforts. The event provides a space for reflection on the university's commitment to historical remembrance.
The takeaway
The Peace Tree serves as a living reminder of historical connections that transcend individual lifetimes. Readers can implement these lessons by participating in local commemorative events that honor cultural histories in their own areas.
Further reading
Learn more about local environmental traditions at the Botany section.
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