This moment that connected Maudrie, Knutson and Assistant Professor of Public Health Mozhgon Rajaee occurred in August of 2019. The importance of land acknowledgments for non-indigenous individuals and communities relies on the recognition of their relationship to the original inhabitants of a location and to the land. In addition to normal employment and family obligations, Indigenous people are working to heal their traumas, learn their languages, and support their nations. Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, a dance and drum community circle, performs a land acknowledgment in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 8, 2021. WebFor non-Indigenous communities, land acknowledgement is a powerful way of showing respect and honoring the Indigenous Peoples of the land on which we work and live. We greatly appreciate the increased interest in this traditional practice, but the large volume of inquiries received does not always allow us to respond in a timely manner. WebOne example of an opening land acknowledgement was: We acknowledge that The University of Michigan, named for Michigami, the worlds largest freshwater system and located in the Huron River watershed, was formed and has grown through connections with the land stewarded by the Niswi Ishkodewan Anishinaabeg: The Three Fires People who Im working with Glenn McIntosh, our vice president for Student Affairs, and also our chief diversity officer, to really see how we can engage folks within the community, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Britt Rios-Ellis said. This map represents the location and geographic spread of the entities analyzed through the survey. To him, that language obscures the fact that tribal nations were sovereign over those lands and that they werent just caretakers. WebLand Acknowledgements Map. Deel-McKenzie says a land acknowledgment should be seen as a first step one that must be followed by a call to action. In recognizing the history and respecting the sovereignty of Michigans Indian Nations, Oakland University honors the heritage of Indigenous communities and their significant role in shaping the course of this region. Rochester , Acknowledgement is a simple way of resisting the erasure of Indigenous histories and working towards honoring and inviting the truth. Your acknowledgement should come from the heart, and we cannot provide you with the exact words to use. ), Mozhgon Rajaee (Asst. WebLand Acknowledgement Statement. Its like, Oh gee, thanks for taking care of the land so well. Land acknowledgments are generally meant to acknowledge the Indigenous history of the land one is on. Lambert, associate professor of African Studies and Anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, says such statements often refer to Indigenous peoples as the original stewards or custodians of land that is now occupied by another entity. Deel-McKenzie says a land acknowledgment should be seen as a first step one that must be followed by a call to action. "If you're going to explicitly say in your land acknowledgment that you want better relations, then you have to prove and you have to show consistency and that you're actually doing those actions.". Build real, authentic relationships with Indigenous people. It feels like a box checking activity, like people are doing it to signal their politics, says Len Necefer, an Indigenous studies scholar and founder and CEO of the apparel and media company NativesOutdoors. This map represents the location and geographic spread of the entities analyzed through the survey. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Left to right: Andrea Knutson, Megan Peiser and Ashleigh Dubie doing research while crafting OUs Land Acknowledgement Statement. Among the many reasons for adopting the statement is the need for Oakland University to demonstrate a public show of respect to Native peoples who have been The land acknowledgement passed through the OU Senate on Feb. 18, and was presented to the Board of Trustees on Apr. We recognize that settler and Indigenous signatories understood the terms of the treaties in starkly different terms. Acknowledgement is a simple way of resisting the erasure of Indigenous histories and working towards honoring and inviting the truth. When it comes to action, Kahsennoktha George wants to see companies and institutions participating in systemic change. Build real, authentic relationships with Indigenous people. WebWe recognize that Land Acknowledgements must be preceded and followed with ongoing and unwavering commitments to American Indian and Indigenous communities. We pledge to elevate our ways of knowing to better reflect the sustainable practices and peaceful coexistence that has allowed our beloved university to thrive. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. WebWe recognize that Land Acknowledgements must be preceded and followed with ongoing and unwavering commitments to American Indian and Indigenous communities. As a community, we recognize that this is the ancestral land of the Three Fires Confederacy, the Ojibwa, Odawa, Potawatomi, and Wyandot nations. This map represents the location and geographic spread of the entities analyzed through the survey. Among the many reasons for adopting the statement is the need for Oakland University to demonstrate a public show of respect to Native peoples who have been historically marginalized from American institutions, politics and academic curriculums. Territories, Languages, and Treaties Digital Map, Honor Native Land: A Guide and Call to Acknowledgment. This app will show you what Indigenous land you're on. So for this issue, we begin by doing a territory acknowledgement for the place from which the magazine comes. The importance of land acknowledgments for non-indigenous individuals and communities relies on the recognition of their relationship to the original inhabitants of a location and to the land. We had to get language from them we had to hear what they wanted from land acknowledgements. "There's a sort of historical untangling that's required to do this right, well and in a genuine way," he said. Widely supported throughout the university, the statement reflects the values at the heart of OUs continual engagement to shape a more knowledgeable, diverse and fair society. All Rights Reserved. The University finds pride in calling itself The Nations Pioneer Land Grant College, a term we find highly problematic and recommend that it no longer be used. The importance of land acknowledgments for non-indigenous individuals and communities relies on the recognition of their relationship to the original inhabitants of a location and to the land. Right now the administration is working on completing and expanding those goals. WebA land acknowledgment is a traditional custom in many Native communities and nations to show respect to the people of the land since time immemorial. Jeff Thomas, Editor-in-ChiefJune 30, 2021. By clicking on each plotted point, you can access basic Land Acknowledgement data: -The Institution's/Entity's Name. When we die, we return to the land and turn into the trees, rocks, and water that once gave us life, he wrote in Outside. of Public Environmental Wellness, Land Acknowledgment Committee), Deborah Vanderlinde (Associate Professor of Music Education, School of Music, Theater, and Dance), Elizabeth Wallis (Cherokee, Associate Dean, University Libraries), Nivedita Mukherji (Interim Associate Provost, Faculty Affairs), Noelle Mongene (Anishinaabe, Graduate Student at OU). WebOne example of an opening land acknowledgement was: We acknowledge that The University of Michigan, named for Michigami, the worlds largest freshwater system and located in the Huron River watershed, was formed and has grown through connections with the land stewarded by the Niswi Ishkodewan Anishinaabeg: The Three Fires People who Native Governance Center, a nonprofit organization that seeks to help tribal nations strengthen their governance systems and their capacity to exercise sovereignty, began developing resources on how to put together a land acknowledgment a few years ago as it noticed more people in the US talking about the issue. Thank you for your interest in the Duwamish Tribe! In AIIS, we push Michigan State University to recruit, retain, and support American Indian and Indigenous students, faculty, and staff. I also think that we are exploring, putting a [permanent plaque of the acknowledgement] in a very public place so that it helps the community understand where we come from.. King wants to see institutions, organizations, or whoever plans on making a land acknowledgment to collaborate with and support Indigenous communities. University of Detroit Mercy, a Catholic university in the Jesuit and Mercy traditions, 4001 W. McNichols Road Detroit, MI 48221-3038, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She views them asopening the door toward decolonizing practices, reconciliation, or bridging awareness into action. You just are on the land of these peoples," she said. "A land acknowledgement is an optional statement, often given at the beginning of organized events, celebrations and activities, or published in printed materials," according to the Native American Institute within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University . (248) 370-3496 We are also here to honor our Native American ancestors whose ways of knowing demonstrated reverence and respect for the land on which Oakland University now stands. She is from Kanesatake in Quebecand is the ambassador and education and mobilization officer for Mikana, a non-profit organization that works for social change by educating different audiences on the realities and perspectives of Indigenous peoples. In AIIS, we push Michigan State University to recruit, retain, and support American Indian and Indigenous students, faculty, and staff. Its very rooted in history, tribal identity, tribal names [and] location, which is what we really wanted, Dubie said. The statement serves as a reminder that the land we occupy is stolen and that we should honor the To ensure they achieved their goals, the group made the language tangible by acknowledging specific Indigenous communities and accurately reflecting history. If you are a member of the Duwamish Tribe, please visit our Membership page to subscribe to a separate list. By officially enacting the acknowledgement on May 5, OU joins a number of public institutions across the country in this step toward the inclusion of Indigenous communities. 8. By clicking on each plotted point, you can access basic Land Acknowledgement data: -The Institution's/Entity's Name. Necefer says his organization NativesOutdoors has moved away from the red pin emojis in social media captions that function as land acknowledgments and is instead focusing its efforts on more ambitious ways they can educate non-Native audiences about the history of the places they live. It is important the statement honors and names the communities, and recognizes the occupied or unceded nature and history of the land. The land was ceded in the 1807 Treaty of Detroit and makes up southeast Michigan. We affirm and acknowledge the Burt Lake Band, who were literally burned from their houses in 1900. The land was ceded in the 1807 Treaty of Detroit and makes up southeast Michigan. Adrien Pochel, who is Oji-Cree and Lakota, drums and sings during a land acknowledgement ceremony for Chicago's Field Museum on October 26, 2018. Furthermore, it is a way to show respect and gratitude to the traditional stewards of a specific location, while recognizing that colonialism is still an ongoing process. Build real, authentic relationships with Indigenous people. 8. The land acknowledgement passed through the OU Senate on Feb. 18, and was presented to the Board of Trustees on Apr. It had to go slowly. Eds. Among the many reasons for adopting the statement is the need for Oakland University to demonstrate a public show of respect to Native peoples who have been CBC Indigenous spoke with five First Nations people about the issues they see, what they expect when others make land acknowledgmentsand advice on how they can ring less hollow. While Indigenous peoples have practiced land acknowledgments for generations, Westerners have adopted the custom relatively recently as they attempt to reckon with the harms brought on by colonization. You do not need to follow our example acknowledgement word-for-word. What's wrong with land acknowledgments, and how to make them better | CBC News Loaded. WebThe purpose of a land acknowledgement is to recognize, respect and affirm the ongoing relationship between Indigenous people and the land. The statement also serves as a reminder to connect with those people groups in tangible ways. -The Address/City/State. In particular, the university resides on land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. We pledge to elevate our ways of knowing to better reflect the sustainable practices and peaceful coexistence that has allowed our beloved university to thrive. From universities to sports games to city council meetings to Twitter bios, its becoming increasingly common to see statements recognizing that the land on which one is standing once belonged to Indigenous people. The Stanford Native American Cultural Centerdescribes the history of the land where the main campus was built as well as information about the current presences of different tribal members on campus. For anyone interested in advocating for Indigenous people, the main advice from the committee is to find people and collaborate. There has to be absolute action behind it," she said. The analysis of this data, or separate/individual entries, can be found in the Land Acknowledgement database. Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center, 4705 West Marginal Way Southwest, Seattle, WA, 98106, United States. Together, Oakland University faculty, students and administrators collaborated to draft the Land Acknowledgement Statement. Rather, those critical of these statements emphasize that they should be seen as a starting point in a larger effort to understand the histories and realities of Indigenous people and to commit to change. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Watch the Baroness von Sketch Show's satirical take on land acknowledgments: King wants to see institutions, organizations, or whoever plans on making a land acknowledgment tocollaborate with and support Indigenous communities. 8. In AIIS, we push Michigan State University to recruit, retain, and support American Indian and Indigenous students, faculty, and staff. This statement can be used as is or if you can find ways to connect it to your specific field of study you may do so. The land was ceded in the 1807 Treaty of Detroit and makes up southeast Michigan. If spoken, the order should be: (1) Welcome and words about the event, (2) Land Acknowledgment and specific relations to individual or collective actions, (3) Move into thescheduled program. Having a Land Acknowledgement is only one step toward building relationships with Native communities. Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. The statement serves as a reminder that the land we occupy is stolen and that we should honor the people who occupied and stewarded before us. That sentiment was echoed by Devon Saulis, a member of the Tobique First Nation who lives in Ottawa. Most of this work was actually teaching educating those in leadership positions who Native Peoples of Michigan are., , our vice president for Student Affairs, and also our chief diversity officer, to really see how we can engage folks within the community, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, said. King wants to see institutions, organizations, or whoever plans on making a land acknowledgment to collaborate with and support Indigenous communities. So for this issue, we begin by doing a territory acknowledgement for the place from which the magazine comes. This statement can be present in your syllabus, read before presentations, or events. In addition to normal employment and family obligations, Indigenous people are working to heal their traumas, learn their languages, and support their nations. The formal and public acknowledgement is an explicit gesture intended to cultivate a mutually beneficial dialogue, which is an essential feature in building an inclusive campus community. In an era of reconciliation, they're political statements meant to recognize First Nations, Inuit, and Mtis territory, however many Indigenous people argue they've grown to become superficial, performative and problematic. If we can understand that, I think the rest will come.. We want to acknowledge the history and land, and honour the Indigenous people who continue to love this land here in Waawiyatanong (Detroit, Michigan). Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade just featured a native land acknowledgment. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. So [there] was a keen awareness that this shouldnt be an acknowledgement thats just driven by non-Indigenous peoples, Rajaee said. WebThe purpose of a land acknowledgement is to recognize, respect and affirm the ongoing relationship between Indigenous people and the land. Land Acknowledgement Statement Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. Land acknowledgements also raise awareness about the Indigenous histories, perspectives and experiences that are often suppressed or forgotten. It was presented to the OU Board of Trustees at their April 8 meeting. While some institutions may have multiple entries in the survey, the map is populated by the single coordinates representing one institution and its basic data. Reflect on the kind of engagement you have with these groups and recognize your positionality in relation to that land. WebThe Universitys endowment was originally funded in significant measure by sale of land granted under Article 16 of the 1817 Treaty of the Foot of the Rapids, also known as the Treaty of Ft. Meigs. -The Address/City/State. It comes across as a very painful denial of exactly what happened.. -The Title and/or Text of the Land Acknowledgement (if applicable). Did you encounter any technical issues? A grassroots initiative, this acknowledgement moved from students to faculty to the administration. Native Lands Digital, a commonly used app run by a Canadian nonprofit, allows users to input an address to see what tribal nations lived there. A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes the unique and enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. We collectively understand that offering Land Acknowledgements or Land Recognitions do not absolve settler-colonial privilege or diminish colonial structures of violence, at either the individual or institutional level. The land was ceded in the 1807 Treaty of Detroit and makes up southeast Michigan. As big of a step as the land acknowledgement is, its a foundational step that the committee wants to see built upon. A land acknowledgement can be a few sentences or several pages. These statements, known as land acknowledgments, are an attempt to address the past, present and future of a particular location as it relates to Indigenous peoples as well as to understand ones own place within it. Even when acknowledgments point to wanting to build better relations and future with Indigenous people, she said, often institutions or organizations fail to put action to those words. Another issue that Deel-McKenzie observed was that many people seemed too caught up in the particulars of the statements wording, without enough consideration on how they planned to support Indigenous communities moving forward. A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes the unique and enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. At every stage, whatever happened to it, whether it was a minor tweak, or a sort of bigger reorganization everybody understood that no draft moved forward without the okay of our committee.. 2:08 PM EST, Mon November 22, 2021. With that bigger picture in mind, this core four of Knutson, Peiser, Rajaee and Dubie continued the delicate work of drafting the statement. A shortened land acknowledgement can also be used for email signatures. Land Acknowledgement Statement Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. We receive countless inquiries on acknowledgements daily and request that those looking to make land acknowledgements first try to construct their own before contacting Duwamish Tribal Services for comments or help. Its important people understand that when you put that upon Indigenous people, it can create a lot of additional stress on Native peoples and Native organizations., Larry Chavis, former director of UNCs American Indian Center, put it like this at a faculty council meeting after being asked to write a land acknowledgment for the university: Its like me writing my own thank you note for a gift that was taken from me.. positionality in relation to that land. Web*Land acknowledgement: Detroit occupies the contemporary and ancestral homelands of three Anishinaabe nations of the Council of Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi. Professor, Health Sciences), Kevin Corcoran (Dean, College of Arts and Sciences), Cynthia Miree-Coppin (Faculty Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee), Joi Cunningham (Provosts Office), and the OU Senate committee (chaired by Jason Wasserman) for leading the effort to establish the OU Land Acknowledgement Statement, which reads: Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. We want to acknowledge the history and land, and honour the Indigenous people who continue to love this land here in Waawiyatanong (Detroit, Michigan). Start working together, Rajaee said. Meadow Brook Staff The statement was approved by the OU Senate on February 18. The group initially saw this as an encouraging sign, but they soon found that some non-Native people expected them to do the work for them for free. "A land acknowledgement is an optional statement, often given at the beginning of organized events, celebrations and activities, or published in printed materials," according to the Native American Institute within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University . Land acknowledgments are now routine in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, and are becoming increasingly prevalent in progressive spaces in the US. I spoke with Tara at an American Indian Health and Family Services event, at which she told me about writing it for [Harpers] class, Associate Professor of English Andrea Knutson said. We acknowledge the real ways that the State of Michigan, Michigan State University, and residents of this Land have benefitted from the forced and systematic removal of Anishinaabeg and other Indigenous peoples from Michigan, particularly during the Indian Removal period of the nineteenth century. Administrative adjustments made to the land acknowledge document were mainly to make the statement more specific to OU. "To speak about your territorial acknowledgment in the past continues that dominant narrative.". The best way to create an appropriate land acknowledgement is to consult and collaborate local Tribal leaders, which Stanford University has donethrough the Native American Cultural Center, the university archaeologist's office, and the university president's office.