Land Acknowledgement Statement

We would like to acknowledge that the Cable Natural History Museum is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Oceti Sakowin People. We are grateful for their stewardship now and throughout history. Although we know that our efforts are imperfect and incomplete, the Museum is working to understand how we can best honor our Indigenous neighbors and work toward common goals.

 

We would especially like to recognize:

Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe

 

What is a land acknowledgment statement?

A land acknowledgement is a formal statement presented at the beginning of public events and gatherings that recognizes and honors Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of the land.

 

Why do we do this?

“To acknowledge the traditional territory is to recognize its longer history, reaching beyond colonization and the establishment of European colonies, as well as its significance for the Indigenous peoples who lived and continue to live upon this territory, and whose practices and spiritualities were tied to the land and continue to develop in relationship to the land and its other inhabitants today.”University of Alberta

 

“Acknowledgment by itself is a small gesture. It becomes meaningful when coupled with authentic relationships and informed action. But this beginning can be an opening to greater public consciousness of Native sovereignty and cultural rights, a step toward equitable relationship and reconciliation.”…

 

“Acknowledgment is a simple, powerful way of showing respect and a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture and toward inviting and honoring the truth.”U.S. Department of Arts and Culture

 

“To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.”lspirg.org/knowtheland

 

(With credit to Goshen College for compiling these quotes.)