Land Acknowledgement

What is a Land Acknowledgement?

A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.

Why do we recognize the land?

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.

For more information on the process of creating a Land Acknowledgement, please see the resources below:

• A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement (via Native Governance Center): A suggested process and tips for creating an intentional statement.

• Native Land Digital: A worldwide map of Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the world.

• Practice the pronunciations of Native, Indigenous, and Tribal Nations. There are many resources online to assist with this and often audio clips or videos with examples.

ACPA22 Land Acknowledgement

ACPA-College Student Educators International acknowledges that the land we are meeting on today is within the historic homelands of the Osage Nation, the Otoe-Missouria Tribe, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, and the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.  We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory, and we honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples who have and continue to cultivate relationships to this land on which we gather.

Beyond acknowledging the land and in recognition of modern and historical settler colonialism, including that perpetuated by North American institutions of higher education, ACPA actively commits to supporting Higher Education in decolonizing their practice and scholarship through our mission, values, and the Strategic Imperative for Racial Justice and Decolonization.