Personalizing Land Acknowledgements

Often, land or Treaty acknowledgements can seem performative and ingenuine in nature. Many institutions and organizations have developed acknowledgements that are applied in almost every circumstance related to internal and external engagement. It is our intention to avoid these monotonous demonstrations, and we would highly encourage participants of Treaty or land acknowledgments do so from a place of genuine respect, understanding, and obligation; to the territories that have been traditionally and contemporarily occupied by a variety of Indigenous Peoples, including First Nations, Metis, and Inuit since time immemorial. Today, we all now share these lands and territories, so it is important to understand that We are all Treaty people, each of us obligated to the true spiritual intent of our Treaty territories.

Goals

1. Understand why personalizing land acknowledgements can be more genuine.
2. Create your own personalized land acknowledgement.

How-to-guide

In order to reflect the spirit of the Treaties, and to create safe, meaningful and trusting spaces, we believe that every effort be made to personalize your statement to better reflect individual obligations to Treaty lands, to avoid the performative nature that can arise with generic acknowledgements. A meaningful acknowledgement must come from the heart of the individual, and it requires a conscious effort to reflect on the ways in which we have all individually benefitted from the territories and lands we visit or occupy. This is the true spirit and intent of Treaty, and it requires that we all consider what it means to be Treaty people and partners. We also recognize, and emphasize, that land and territory acknowledgements are not a new practice and represent an “old tradition,” whereby visitors to new territories “demonstrate and pay homage to the First Nations people you are engaging.” (Land Acknowledgement, 2023) 

As a starting place, you can always refer to NorQuest’s acknowledgment procedures, but whenever possible, attempt to personalize your statement to demonstrate your courage, humility, and recognizing the harms and injustices caused by settler, and ongoing, colonization. As an example of what a more personal acknowledgment can look like, please refer to the following:

“As a settler on Amiskwaciwâskahikan colonially known as Edmonton, I acknowledge my absolute privilege of being able to live and make a living on stolen land through the active colonial displacement and genocide of Indigenous peoples by settlers. This is a land that is continually experiencing the effects of systemic, colonial, and intergenerational damages from those who came to this land and those who now call this land their home” (J. Legaspi, personal communication, May 5, 2023).

*“Please note that there are no explicit guidelines or directions for how to achieve a perfect Land Acknowledgement, there is only heart, truth, acceptance and openness when you are delivering it to others.” (Land Acknowledgements, 2023)

NorQuest College Treaty 6 territory acknowledgment procedure

I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are on the traditional lands, referred to as Treaty 6 Territory and the homeland of Metis Region #4. This land is home to many diverse groups of Indigenous peoples including the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux, Nakota Sioux, Inuit, and Métis. I also acknowledge that the City of Edmonton and all the people here are beneficiaries of Treaty No. 6. which encompasses the traditional territories of numerous western Canadian First Nations as well as the Métis people who have called these lands home since time immemorial. NorQuest acknowledges the treaty, the land and the territories of Indigenous peoples as a reminder of:

1. Our responsibility and obligations to the land and to Indigenous peoples,
2. Our accountability to addressing the ongoing impacts of colonization that are distinct to Indigenous peoples and communities,
3. To work together in remembering the spirit and intent of the Treaty toward right relations.

Resources

References

Land Acknowledgement. (2023, May 5).

Treaty 6 Territory Acknowledgement Procedure. (2023, May 5). NorQuest College. 

Authors

Written by: Darrion Letendre (InSTEM and Land Based Learning Program Coordinator), Jeanien Bell (Program Chair, Indigenous Studies), Justin Shupack (Manager, Indigenous House of Learning), Kendra Lightning (Decolonial Indigenization, Academic Advisor)