What Are Land Acknowledgments And Why Do They Matter?

What Are Land Acknowledgments And Why Do They Matter?

Have you ever heard a land acknowledgment at some point at over the past few years? Maybe you heard one before at a conference, sporting, cultural, or graduation event.

Like me, maybe you don’t totally understand why land acknowledgments are so important and that’s reasonable. I am a First Nations Person myself and I don’t really understand why they are important. So, let’s explore together and find out what we need to know.

Land Acknowledgement.

WHAT IS A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT?

Land acknowledgments are an honest and historically accurate way to recognize the traditional First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit territories. They can be presented in a verbal way or visually with things signs, posters, or sign language.

Land acknowledgments are said to have one goal, They are used to commemorate the Indigenous peoples’ principle of kinship to the land.

They are said to be a starting place for a change in how the land is seen and talked about. They help redefine how people see themselves in relation to First Nations People.

It’s important for people to have the idea instilled in their minds of the inherent right to land that First Peoples actually have.

Because if it’s stated everywhere, all the time, people can continue to have the idea of the First Nation’s People being the original settlers to this land.

WHY ARE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS NECESSARY?

Inspired by The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation 94 recommended calls to action, The Land Acknowledgments are a because they are a way of honoring the original occupants of this land.

With the inherent kinship beliefs of indigenous people when it comes to the land being restricted for so long, the land acknowledgments help many Canadian’s recognize and respect those beliefs.

With the attempted genocide of the Indigenous peoples in Canada, (which spans centuries) It is important to do these land acknowledgments as a way to provide a solid framework to healing and reconciliation for the many injustices done to the First Nations People.

With things like broken treaties, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, continued attempts by the government and religious groups to control the Indigenous way of life, It’s understandable why this is a key component of why land acknowledgments are so important today.

Generation after generation of First Nations and non-First Nations People have been negatively affected by some of the (not all) nonhealthy relationships between the First Nations and non-First Nations People.

So another point in making land acknowledgments is to recognize how systemic and institutional systems have oppressed First Nations peoples, and how that oppression has negatively influenced the way non-First Nations people look at Indigenous people in today’s cultural, social, and political climate.

HOW SHOULD I REACT DURING A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT?

Be mindful and open minded.

Due to our human need to remain consistent with who we think we are, we sometimes are not open to change. With many of the conditioning principles instilled in us by our parents, it’s hard to believe anything that you were not taught to believe.

It is said that being open-minded is key to growth. With that being said, A lot of the limited close-minded philosophies and principles of the early settlers have unconsciously been passed down from generation to generation.

With the negative beliefs that many non-first nations and even first nations people have been taught, It sometimes might be easy to think about if the land acknowledgments are even important.

Today’s land acknowledgments may contradict what many of us were consciously and unconsciously were taught from the environment we were raised in, the people we spent most of the time with, and the information will fill our minds with, i.e., FaceBook.

But with knowing what First Nation’s people have experienced, the human ability for compassion, and the basic human knowledge of knowing right from wrong, It is easy to be mindful to the idea that the Land Acknowledgments are a way of saying that the speaker and who the speaker represents, know what First Nation’s People have been through.

The land acknowledgments are usually done by someone who represents’s an organization and the organization’s aim is better the relationships between First Nations and non-First Nations people.

With the mistreatment towards First Nations people still occurring today, the importance of the land acknowledgments has never been more prevalent.

Recognizing how generations before us have individually oppressed others doesn’t necessarily mean we are admitting to being bad people today. Holding one another accountable when it comes to self-reflection can seem like a tall order fill as well.

But these are deeply important things to think about both politically and socially. Above all, they are useful steps toward legitimate reconciliation.

IS THERE A WRONG WAY TO DO A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT?

In my honest opinion, As an Indigenous person, I am critical of the land acknowledgment when it appears to be dry, scripted, and obviously hold’s no meaning to the speaker, but I’m also thankful that at least this is being done in more and more spaces.

As to whether there’s the right or wrong way to do it, it would pretty awesome to hear the speakers individual thoughts on land acknowledgment and why it’s important to them. Often times we hear many people use the same acknowledgment over and over again, thus, making the land acknowledgment seem less genuine.

Sometimes scripted words just aren’t enough. With the injustices of the past and present still fresh in our minds, many First Nations People are still expecting a truthful and sincere statement of reconciliation from those in prominent positions.

The tremendous loss and trauma that the First Nations People have experienced is a very personal issue to the Indigenous people and requires a personal individual statement.

Although the unspoken norm of professionalism is to not bring persons individual emotions into the workplace or professional settings, it could indeed go a long way to help strengthen the relationships between First Nations and non-First Nations people.

Long ago, for the Indigenous tribes, these introductions weren’t originally labeled as land acknowledgments but were just a way of life. The way we presented ourselves when gathering for governance and ceremony.

sometimes a verbal introduction wasn’t even needed. As clan on another person’s territorial lands, the First Nations People used to dress in their best attire they had the time such as eagle feathers, beadwork, buckskin, braided hair, and often times present gifts to the clan as a way to honor and show respect to who let them onto their land in a good way.

Many times when a neighbouring tribe would wander into another tribes territory it didn’t end to well, so to be allowed or invited onto another tribes territory was once considered a great honor in itself.

Today, some Indigenous peoples might introduce themselves in their language and claim the land they are from, along with their name.

Also, It would be so much impactful to see the land acknowledgments done more frequently in the languages representative of regions along with the personalization of why the land acknowledgment is important to you. I think the would have an even deeper impact.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?

We have to understand that Indigenous people are in a healing process and that each person’s healing path is as different.

Keep an open mind and listen. You’ll hear perspectives and points of view that you’ve never heard before that speak of oppression, but also a story of strength and resiliency.

Although sometimes it could be hard to keep an open mind, I believe that all people are capable of being open to change and different points of view.

Much like learning how to drive a car or ride a bike, we at first had no knowledge of it and were even scared of it. But with our ability to learn new things much of us took the time to learn how to do those things. Now to some of us, it’s natural part us, and the fear no longer exists.

That same openness that exists in all of us can prove to be important to your individual growth and the growth of your business or organization.

With this acceptance of growth, let’s continue onto the important path of reconciliation and healing.

To better the relationships between the First Nations and non-First Nations People.

Have we left anything out? Let us know in the comments below.