Land Acknowledgements

One way that many instructors begin discussions about reconciliation in their classrooms is through a land or territorial acknowledgment at the beginning of the first class.

Acknowledging territory and the history of settlement that preceded colonization is one small way of showing respect and gratitude to Indigenous peoples, both those that lived here long before settlers arrived, and those who continue their stewardship even now, in spite of centuries of displacement and oppression. It can also be a powerful site of learning for our students, many of whom may be unfamiliar with the history of colonization and oppression in this place.

A land acknowledgment can be offered by anyone--settler or Indigenous, instructor or student.

How to Offer Land Acknowledgments in the Classroom

The website native-land.ca offers excellent ideas for developing and extending land acknowledgments, including a helpful map so students can learn about the nations who have called this land home.

Many instructors deliver an acknowledgment at the beginning of their
first class; others offer one at the beginning of every class. Some have
tasked a student or students with the responsibility to deliver this
acknowledgment in each class, making it an unofficial but meaningful
assignment for students to learn about the history and present of
Indigenous relations to the land. There are many ways to incorporate land acknowledgments into classrooms -- ask colleagues for ideas if you are stuck.

Depending on the level of your students and the general makeup of your class, you may need to explain key ideas or terms in the acknowledgment. Students who did not grow up learning this history may be unfamiliar with terms like “unceded” or “treaty”; some may not understand that the Indigenous peoples of Canada are made up of many nations, each with their own language, history and culture. In this way, the land acknowledgment can be a springboard to important discussions and learning.


ECU Style Guide: Territorial Acknowledgment

ECU recommends the use of the acknowledgment found here.

Sample Land Acknowledgment

Feel free to use or adapt the model below for your own classes (shared by Justin Langlois).

I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered here today on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations. Unceded means that this land was never surrendered, relinquished or handed over in any way.

Today, most of BC remains unceded sovereign Native lands, over which neither the Canadian or BC governments have the legal or moral authority to govern. I hope that our words and actions today can help to foster a better understanding of how we can support Indigenous sovereignty as settlers and uninvitied guests on this land, AND to work to create new relationships with the Original Peoples of this land, based in honour and respect.

Resources

Our own Aboriginal Gathering Place has created this guide to territorial acknowledgments.

The website Native Lands provides a map listing many nations in BC, Canada and around the world: input any address to determine the appropriate nations to acknowledge in your territorial acknowledgment.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers collected sample territorial acknowledgements from institutions across Canada.

The following book is available from the Emily Carr Library: Indigenous and Decolonizing Studies in Education.

The library at Concordia University has prepared this comprehensive resource, Indigenous educational resources for faculty and students, to help faculty understand and respond to the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The What I Learned in Class Today: Aboriginal Issues in the Classroom project from First Nations Studies at UBC created this 20-minute video which is valuable viewing for faculty and students alike.

The Interdisciplinary Initiative in Applied Indigenous Scholarship at Western University recently produced this short video: What I wish my professors knew about me.