Land acknowledgments

All land is Indigenous land

Land acknowledgments are Indigenous protocol to show respect for Indigenous peoples and recognize their enduring and continuing relationship to the land. Committing to authentic land acknowledgments can also raise awareness about histories that are often suppressed or erased.

Kanyon Sayers-Roods, a Mutsun Ohlone activist in Northern California, states that the “acknowledgment process is about asking, ‘What does it mean to live in a post-colonial world? What did it take for us to get here? And how can we be accountable to our part in history?’”

Not just a checklist: Moving towards allyship and reconciliation

It’s important to understand land acknowledgments should act as one of the first steps towards reconciliation with Indigenous communities.

There are positive aspects to having land acknowledgments included in your work:

The ability to upset the notion that the land was “free and empty” prior to white settlement. This concept is known as terra nullius (land belonging to no one) and was used to justify how white settlement came to be.

There are also limits to having a land acknowledgment when non-Indigenous people:

View having or verbalizing a land acknowledgment as all of the action they need to take.
Consign Indigenous people to the past and to a narrative of violence and trauma.

Land acknowledgments are not a checklist or a badge to indicate stand-alone “allyship” with any tribal community. It is important to do the work: to research, to reach out to tribal nations, to sit with (some) uncomfortableness, but move forward.

Tips to help you move beyond a land acknowledgment

If you are deciding to incorporate land acknowledgments into your work, we invite you to think of it as a first step, rather than an only step, in building relationships with Indigenous communities in your area. Here are other potential steps:

Build relationships with tribal communities. Ask what an authentic and meaningful relationship looks like. How can you go about creating it?
Ask what the boundaries are and respect them.
Don’t ask a tribe to do the emotional labor for you.
Be sure to include tribal members as soon as possible in the planning of any event. Have you made space for them to be an active participant or presenter? Are you providing other ways for tribes to be involved if they don’t want to actively participate in the event?
Think of ways that you and your organization can support the tribe(s) and their priorities (within and outside of your field of scope).

Available resources

For further help on not only creating land acknowledgments but moving towards integrating the meaning and purpose into your organizational culture and programs, please utilize the resources below as a starting point in your journey.

All education happens on Indigenous land.

Resources from Indigenous voices and perspectives

Native lands interactive world map: Native Land Digital honors the sovereignty of all Indigenous nations, their lands, and their waters. The map is a living document, informed by the contributions of Indigenous communities, Indigenous knowledge holders and their stories. It does not claim to represent official or legal boundaries. We encourage you to connect directly with the Indigenous nations to learn more about their territories and histories. This is an honouring of Indigenous resilience past, present and future.
Critical Orientations: Indigenous Studies and Outdoor Education online course: This course supports outdoor educators in engaging with culturally responsive incorporation of indigenous studies concepts into outdoor education curriculum and programming. While outdoor school programs in Oregon serve 5th and 6th-grade students, this course's content applies broadly to all outdoor and experiential education.
Land Acknowledgements Are A Good First Step, But There’s A Lot More Work To Be Done: This article, set in Canada, provides an overview of land acknowledgments before delving into a larger conversation about reconciliation and what is needed to accompany any acknowledgment.
Beyond A Land Acknowledgement: Recognizing Shortcomings, Mobilizing Possibilities: This webinar was created by the Ohio State University Office of Diversity and Inclusion to provide an overview of the history and the growing attention of Land Acknowledgments, a space to consider the relationship between land acknowledgments and Land Grant Institutions, and to suggest what is beyond a land acknowledgment.
Are You Planning To Do A Land Acknowledgement?: This blog post results from an unrolled Twitter thread about land acknowledgments. In the post, Dr. Debbie Reese of the Nambé Pueblo provides helpful tips and reflective prompts to guide through the land acknowledgment process.
Making Coast a Salish Territorial: A panel discussion targeting genuine reconciliation and making territorial acknowledgements matter. Are Indigenous acknowledgements a step forward or an empty gesture? Even among those who crafted the statements, views differ about what they mean and how they’re used.
Why Are Territorial Acknowledgements Are Important: Reg Crowshoe, former Chief, Piikuni First Nation, and UCalgary senate member, explains the importance of acknowledging the traditional territories of Indigenous people.
Understanding Territorial Acknowledgement: This article emphasizes the importance of territorial acknowledgments in fostering respectful relationships with Indigenous communities and the land.
Know The Land Territories Campaign: This article explains the concept of Land Acknowledgement, recognizing the deep connection between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.
'I Regret It': Hayden King On Writing Ryerson University's Territorial Acknowledgement: This article features a conversation with Hayden King, who reflects on his regrets about writing Ryerson University's territorial acknowledgment.
We Are All on Native Land: A Conversation about Land Acknowledgments: (Streamed live on Oct 12, 2020) Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day with an online panel of Native speakers and experts. Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the Native American community, their vibrant culture, and deep ties to land. Together they’ll discuss the custom of land acknowledgments; their importance, complexities, and evolution; and what actions can follow a land acknowledgment.
Beyond Territorial Acknowledgments: This article discusses the significance, purpose, and challenges of territorial acknowledgments in Canada, highlighting their role in recognizing Indigenous land rights and contributing to reconciliation.
Honor Native Land: A Guide and Call to Acknowledgement: This article advocates for the widespread adoption of Indigenous land acknowledgments in the U.S., calling on individuals and organizations to recognize Native inhabitants at public events and gatherings.
Native Land: This article discusses the purpose and importance of territory acknowledgments in recognizing Indigenous land rights and colonial history.

Resources from non-Indigenous allies voices and perspectives

Indigenous allyship overview: This document is a resource for non-Indigenous people seeking to become allies to Indigenous people. It provides a condensed version of what academic and popular literature says about being an ally, including positive practices (what allies should or can do) and negative practices (discouraged approaches).
What Is The Significance Of Acknowledging The Indigenous Land We Stand On?: This article explains the significance of Indigenous land acknowledgments, highlighting their role in recognizing Indigenous peoples' historical and ongoing connection to the land.
Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Explained: This article explains the practice of Indigenous land acknowledgments, exploring their significance in recognizing Indigenous peoples' enduring connection to the land and raising awareness about colonization.
Are Indigenous Acknowledgements A Step Forward Or An Empty Gesture?: This article explores the debate around Indigenous land acknowledgments, highlighting differing views on whether they are meaningful steps toward reconciliation or merely symbolic gestures. It discusses the increasing use of these acknowledgments in Canadian institutions and the varied interpretations from Indigenous leaders and educators.

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