I’m sure at this point in time, many people have heard of, or know what a land acknowledgment is. During a time where reconciliation is being sought after by Indigenous people across the world, something that people can be doing to begin to recognize the land they reside on, and the Indigenous people who came before is to learn about and acknowledge the importance of the land and the people who took care of it. In many of my university classes, a land acknowledgment is read before the beginning of class, but this is still not customary in all classroom settings. Land acknowledgments are read at all kinds of events and ceremonies and hold importance to many Indigenous people.
So, what exactly is a land acknowledgement? According to Northwestern University, a land acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous People and their traditional territories.
In this way, land acknowledgements are a crucial way to show appreciation and respect to Indigenous people in the area you live or work in, as well as honoring the Indigenous people who have lived and worked on the land, and who might continue to do so today.
The Native Governance Center has a great resource for learning more about land acknowledgements here:
The website highlights a few key points about the “why” behind land acknowledgements and when you should stop to rethink why you are writing one. If it’s out of guilt or a feeling of “I need to do this” then you might want to reconsider. Furthermore, it is important to put in the time and research that is necessary in creating a proper and respectful, well-rounded land acknowledgement. I’ll go over a couple ways you can do this.
Getting some background research done is crucial. You need to find out as much information about the land you’re on, like the Indigenous people who resided there in the past, as well as the present. Speaking in the past tense insinuates that what is being acknowledged is only in the past, and while the past is important to talk about, we have to also honor and respect the present and future of the traditional lands. Below is a website often used to find out more about the area of treaty you might be living in.
This is a great tool to start your research into the land and people, and it should be something you learn from. Correct spelling, pronunciation and acknowledging Indigenous people who reside and work on the land currently are all very important aspects as well.
Lastly, I would like to highlight an important criticism that is often expressed to those who read land acknowledgments. There is no template or checklist really to follow (other than the obvious key aspects of a good and proper, respectful land acknowledgement), so copying another one from someone else, or asking an Indigenous person to write one for you, is not doing the work you might think it is. From experience, every single time you read a land acknowledgement, even for the same area, you can say something different, you can share something new. There is obviously a right and wrong way to go about acknowledging the land and Indigenous people to whom the land belongs, so use the above resources to read more about this from an Indigenous perspective. Read other land acknowledgments if you aren’t familiar with them to kind of get an idea and maybe some inspiration, but don’t copy someone else’s.
And to close, I’d like to offer a land acknowledgment of my own.
I would like to take this time to honor the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples. This land has been shared by many different nations throughout time, and many of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe people still reside and work here today. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement is what protects much of this land and some of the surrounding area, and the lands continue to be a place home to Indigenous peoples that have come from around Turtle Island.
You can read more about the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, as well as the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement below.
Niá:wen, Thank you
https://firstnations.innisfillibrary.ca/9-haudenosaunee/
https://nandogikendan.com/dish-with-one-spoon/
