Acknowledging Indigenous Lands
- carolinedayton
- Nov 9, 2020
- 1 min read
No matter your location in North America, you're on land that was once inhabited by Indigenous people. Being able to bring light to that concept and openly acknowledge it is extremely important. By beginning to understand the history of the land you're on, you begin to understand your own place within that complicated history.
According to the Native Governance Center (www.nativegov.org), there are some key components to acknowledging Indigenous lands.
*Start with self-reflection. Before you begin, reflect on the following:
*Why am I doing this land acknowledgement?
*What is my end goal?
*Do your homework. Put in the time necessary to research the following topics:
*The Indigenous people to whom the land belongs.
*The history of the land and any related treaties.
* Names of living Indigenous people from these communities.
*Indigenous place names and language.
*Use appropriate language. Don't sugarcoat the past. Use terms like genocide, ethnic cleansing, stolen land, and forced removal to reflect actions taken by colonizers.
*Use past, present, and future tenses. Indigenous people are still here. Don't treat them as a relic of the past.
*Land acknowledgements shouldn't be grim. They should function as living celebrations of Indigenous communities.
***Remember that starting somewhere is better than not trying at all!
Tools at your disposal:
Native Lands app
Text your zip code to (907) 312-5085
If your entire virtual community resides on the same native land, work together to create a land acknowledgement. If you're dispersed across a larger geographical area, have participants do some research and create their own.
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