The land was ceded in the 1807 Treaty of Detroit and makes up southeast Michigan. She is from Kanesatake in Quebecand is the ambassador and education and mobilization officer for Mikana, a non-profit organization that works for social change by educating different audiences on the realities and perspectives of Indigenous peoples. oakland university school of health sciences. Thank you for your interest in the Duwamish Tribe! This acknowledgment may be written or may be spoken at the beginning of an event or program, showing a specific commitment to restorative justice (please read the recommended articles). We had a lot of inquiries from non-Native people saying, Hey, were wanting to do a land acknowledgement: Can you read this? WebWHEREAS, land acknowledgments serve to illuminate ongoing indigenous presence, as well as recognize and counter settler-colonial legacies of violence and land expropriation, AND WHEREAS, the purpose of these statements is to show respect and honor the indigenous peoples that this land has been home to since time immemorial,1 AND Deel-McKenzie says a land acknowledgment should be seen as a first step one that must be followed by a call to action. Many people who use the app tend to approach it as the endpoint rather than the starting point, he adds. -The Institution Type. -The Address/City/State. Maudrie had graduated at that point, so Knutson and Rajaee took the next steps of bringing Indigenous voices into the process of progressing the land acknowledgement. We have to understand what it is. Further, we recognize the wrongs done to those forcibly removed from their Homelands and commit to fostering an environment of inclusion that is responsive to the needs of First Peoples through our words, policies, and actions. The MSU Native American Institute provides a land acknowledgement for the university based to raise awareness about the Indigenous histories, perspectives and experiences that took place before Michigan State University. It had to go slowly. WebA land acknowledgment is a traditional custom in many Native communities and nations to show respect to the people of the land since time immemorial. For OU, the first steps in delivering a more inclusive campus for Indigenous students is going to be following up on the goals outlined in the Campus Communications release. As a result, the organization started getting hundreds of inquiries from people who were interested in doing land acknowledgments of their own, says Apryl Deel-McKenzie, program manager for Native Governance Center. Land Acknowledgement Statement Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. There are hundreds of Indigenous communities across the United States. Some of the tribes listed are functionally extinct, he says, and are grouped in with nations that continue to exist in the area. We recognize Michigans 12 federally recognized Native Nations, historic Indigenous communities in Michigan, Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and those who were forcibly removed from their homelands. Kanhehs:io Deer is a Kanienkeh:ka journalist from Kahnaw:ke, south of Montreal. We also acknowledge the Mtis community who were forced from their community on Bootaaganini-minis (Drummond Island), when the border was drawn between the US and Canada. The land was ceded in the 1807 Treaty of Detroit and makes up southeast Michigan.In recognizing the history and respecting the sovereignty of Michigans Indian Nations, Oakland University honors the heritage of Indigenous communities and their significant role in shaping the course of this region. But despite the flaws in some land acknowledgments, he and others say they arent suggesting that the practice be done away with altogether. Having a Land Acknowledgement is only one step toward building relationships with Native communities. Learning the importance of honoring and acknowledging the land on which you live, work and play. We greatly appreciate the increased interest in this traditional practice, but the large volume of inquiries received does not always allow us to respond in a timely manner. Some Indigenous people say recent land acknowledgments from outside their communities feel hollow. This land was and continues to be of great importance to the Ohlone people. WebThe purpose of a land acknowledgement is to recognize, respect and affirm the ongoing relationship between Indigenous people and the land. Its about the action that needs to happen.. We are still here. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. How does our curriculum and our community engagement recognize, include, and connect with indigenous people in our community? The statement serves as a reminder that the land we occupy is stolen and that we should honor the Moreover, we affirm that Michigan State University must support Indigenous communities and nations in Michigan, as well as throughout Turtle Island, and across the Fourth World. 8. In order to be transformative, it is important to move away from performative acts, as Megan Red-Shirt Shawsays in her essay Beyond the Land Acknowledgment: College "LAND BACK" or Free Tuition for Native Students, into a mindful way to show awareness, create accountability, and actively disrupt colonial structures. Land acknowledgments can be a good way for people to learn more about Indigenous history and can signal respect for tribal nations. By officially enacting the acknowledgement on May 5, OU joins a number of public institutions across the country in this step toward the inclusion of Indigenous communities. The purpose of this statement of acknowledgement is to remind us to continue to be mindful and respectful of the history of this land. Acknowledgement is a simple way of resisting the erasure of Indigenous histories and working towards honoring and inviting the truth. "A land acknowledgment should be an obligation," said King. Another action it proposes is voluntary land taxes regular payments that go directly toward Native nations or organizations in the area. Consistent with our values of community and inclusion, we have a responsibility to acknowledge, honor and makevisible the universitys relationship to Native peoples. We recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereignty of Michigans twelve federally-recognized Indian nations, for historic Indigenous communities in Michigan, for Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and for those who were forcibly removed from their Homelands. A land acknowledgement is an optional statement, often given at the beginning of organized events, celebrations and activities, or published in printed materials. A grassroots initiative, this acknowledgement moved from students to faculty to the administration. Even though they're called land or territorial acknowledgments, Nahanee said using the phrase "Iacknowledge" canimplythat it's not true. Universities around the state and country have issued similar land acknowledgement statements. That process of transferring control from the Indians to the non-Indians was fraught with conflict, it was violent, it involved murder in some cases and extreme pain, he says. Acknowledgement can be a thank you or an honoring. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians), as well as other Indigenous people and historic tribes in Michigan (Burt Lake Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, Mackinac Band of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians, and Swan Creek Black River Confederated Ojibwa Tribes), across Turtle Island, and throughout the Fourth World. We took a draft and we shared it with [Indigenous] folks and then got feedback and made modifications.. Following the 2018 LMDA conference in Toronto -- While some institutions may have multiple entries in the survey, the map is populated by the single coordinates representing one institution and its basic data. We want our schools to be a safe haven for us it didnt feel safe for me as an Indigenous person, because [this] piece was missing.. Together we crafted the Land Acknowledgement to accurately reflect the violences perpetuated against Native and Indigenous Peoples of what is currently called Michigan, and intend it to stand as both a clear recognition of those atrocities, and a promise of better and different relationships with local tribes and the land by [OU].. Did you encounter any technical issues? Land Acknowledgement Statement Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. of Public Environmental Wellness, Land Acknowledgment Committee), Deborah Vanderlinde (Associate Professor of Music Education, School of Music, Theater, and Dance), Elizabeth Wallis (Cherokee, Associate Dean, University Libraries), Nivedita Mukherji (Interim Associate Provost, Faculty Affairs), Noelle Mongene (Anishinaabe, Graduate Student at OU). We are also here to honor our Native American ancestors whose ways of knowing demonstrated reverence and respect for the land on which Oakland University and Meadow Brook Hall now stands. There has to be absolute action behind it," she said. We want to acknowledge the history and land, and honour the Indigenous people who continue to love this land here in Waawiyatanong (Detroit, Michigan). The statement reflects the values at the heart of OUs continual engagement to shape a more knowledgeable, diverse and fair society. Though Indigenous communities have practiced land acknowledgments for generations, Westerners have only recently adopted the custom. King wants to see institutions, organizations, or whoever plans on making a land acknowledgment to collaborate with and support Indigenous communities. Deel-McKenzie says a land acknowledgment should be seen as a first step one that must be followed by a call to action. The statement also serves as a reminder to connect with those people groups in tangible ways. The group initially saw this as an encouraging sign, but they soon found that some non-Native people expected them to do the work for them for free. I think that Indians would say, We want the land back.. ), Ashleigh Dubie (Cherokee, English/STEP, student), Megan Peiser (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Asst. "To speak about your territorial acknowledgment in the past continues that dominant narrative.". Your email address will not be published. Its a view shared by many Indigenous scholars and activists, though they might have different ideas on what constitutes sufficient action. Having a Land Acknowledgement is only one step toward building relationships with Native communities. The formal and public acknowledgement is an explicit gesture intended to cultivate a mutually beneficial dialogue, which is an essential feature in building an inclusive campus community. A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes the unique and enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. For me its important because OU has been where Ive been studying, which obviously has a close place to my heart and yet it, up to this point, had not really acknowledged Indigenous people, Dubie said. Land acknowledgements also raise awareness about the Indigenous histories, perspectives and experiences that are often suppressed or forgotten. MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. The land acknowledgement passed through the OU Senate on Feb. 18, and was presented to the Board of Trustees on Apr. To him, that language obscures the fact that tribal nations were sovereign over those lands and that they werent just caretakers. The importance of land acknowledgments for non-indigenous individuals and communities relies on the recognition of their relationship to the original inhabitants of a location and to the land. Left to right: Andrea Knutson, Megan Peiser and Ashleigh Dubie doing research while crafting OUs Land Acknowledgement Statement. -The Institution Type. A deep understanding of Native peoples past and present informs the teaching, research, and community engagement of the university in its ongoing effort to elevate the dignity of all people and serve as shared stewards of the land. Following the 2018 LMDA conference in Toronto -- Eds. WebFor non-Indigenous communities, land acknowledgement is a powerful way of showing respect and honoring the Indigenous Peoples of the land on which we work and live. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. We acknowledge the real ways that the State of Michigan, Michigan State University, and residents of this Land have benefitted from the forced and systematic removal of Anishinaabeg and other Indigenous peoples from Michigan, particularly during the Indian Removal period of the nineteenth century. Land dispossession is continuing, he adds. Land Acknowledgement Statement Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. We collectively understand that offering Land Acknowledgements or Land Recognitions do not absolve settler-colonial privilege or diminish colonial structures of violence, at either the individual or institutional level. "I want people to be able to back up what you're saying, truly believe in it, and be ready to answer the question when someone criticizes you.". Oakland needs to step up with money and real resources, Peiser said. Check out our land acknowledgment event livestream, and hear his comments at the 27-minute mark. Professor, Health Sciences), Kevin Corcoran (Dean, College of Arts and Sciences), Cynthia Miree-Coppin (Faculty Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee), Joi Cunningham (Provosts Office), and the OU Senate committee (chaired by Jason Wasserman) for leading the effort to establish the OU Land Acknowledgement Statement, which reads: Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, comprised of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. appreciated. Native Lands Digital, a commonly used app run by a Canadian nonprofit, allows users to input an address to see what tribal nations lived there. Land acknowledgement is a traditional custom dating back centuries for many Native communities and nations. Hours:Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.Wednesdays with extended hours 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. During the past several months, a group of faculty, students and administrators have collaborated to draft the Land Acknowledgement Statement. Can you do this? Despite the problems with land acknowledgments, George wants people to continue making them. So [there] was a keen awareness that this shouldnt be an acknowledgement thats just driven by non-Indigenous peoples, Rajaee said. Learn more about Stanford's history with the Ohlone, Stanfords Relationships with Native Peoples, Beyond the Land Acknowledgment: College "LAND BACK" or Free Tuition for Native Students. WebWe recognize that Land Acknowledgements must be preceded and followed with ongoing and unwavering commitments to American Indian and Indigenous communities. Filming at the Hall 2. Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli, a dance and drum community circle, performs a land acknowledgment in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 8, 2021. Your acknowledgement should come from the heart, and we cannot provide you with the exact words to use. The formal and public acknowledgement is an explicit gesture intended to cultivate a mutually beneficial dialogue, which is an essential feature in building an inclusive campus community. Necefer, a member of the Navajo Nation, recalls a recent experience he had while on a conference call, during which each participant was asked to recognize the Indigenous people whose homelands they were calling from. The statement was approved by the OU Senate on February 18. We want to acknowledge the history and land, and honour the Indigenous people who continue to love this land here in Waawiyatanong (Detroit, Michigan). The best way to create an appropriate land acknowledgement is to consult and collaborate local Tribal leaders, which Stanford University has donethrough the Native American Cultural Center, the university archaeologist's office, and the university president's office. For universities, it might be offering free tuition for Indigenous students, and for corporations, it might be committing to hire Native people in leadership positions. The statement serves as a reminder that the land we occupy is stolen and that we should honor the Build real, authentic relationships with Indigenous people. It hasnt ended.. Native Governance Center, a nonprofit organization that seeks to help tribal nations strengthen their governance systems and their capacity to exercise sovereignty, began developing resources on how to put together a land acknowledgment a few years ago as it noticed more people in the US talking about the issue. Its not about your statement being correct. Its not about performance either. The statement will be displayed on the OU website, eventually integrated into courses on American history, politics, and culture, and, whenever appropriate, delivered at events. This is important when extending and personalizing a given acknowledgment statement. The statement serves as a reminder that the land we occupy is stolen and that we should honor the people who occupied and stewarded before us. We want to acknowledge the history and land, and honour the Indigenous people who continue to love this land here in Waawiyatanong (Detroit, Michigan). By officially enacting the acknowledgement on May 5, OU joins a number of public institutions across the country in this step toward the inclusion of Indigenous communities. Professor, English Dept. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much At every stage, whatever happened to it, whether it was a minor tweak, or a sort of bigger reorganization everybody understood that no draft moved forward without the okay of our committee.. "A land acknowledgement is an optional statement, often given at the beginning of organized events, celebrations and activities, or published in printed materials," according to the Native American Institute within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University . I also think that we are exploring, putting a [permanent plaque of the acknowledgement] in a very public place so that it helps the community understand where we come from.. When that Campus Communications email announcement made the OU Land Acknowledgement Statement official, there was definitely a sense of pride in what had been accomplished. Furthermore, it is a way to show respect and gratitude to the traditional stewards of a specific location, while recognizing that colonialism is still an ongoing process. We didnt want a watered-down generic statement thats more harmful than not having one at all.. Build real, authentic relationships with Indigenous people. WebA land acknowledgment is a traditional custom in many Native communities and nations to show respect to the people of the land since time immemorial. With such emphasis and weight behind each individual word, Knutson referred to the multi-year writing process as the most intense work with language that shed ever done. 8. While Indigenous peoples have practiced land acknowledgments for generations, Westerners have adopted the custom relatively recently as they attempt to reckon with the harms brought on by colonization. "I don't tell people which word to use, but I ask them to consider each word critically," said Nahanee, founder and CEO of the Vancouver-based business Nahanee Creative, a company that provides education and awareness to promote social change. A people that are still here, continuing to honor and bring to light their ancient heritage. This was a project of a senior high school student who worked closely with a Duwamish elder. 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