That also means taking the time to research specific names of nations rather than sweeping generalizations, and being cautious of subtext. Britt Rios-Ellis, Executive VP, Academic Affairs & ProvostGlenn McIntosh, Senior VP, Student Affairs & Chief Diversity Officer, Native American Advisory Committee - OU Representatives, Oakland University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Plan, Amy Banes-Berceli (Interim Associate Provost, Operations), Ashleigh Dubie (Cherokee, English-STEP Student, Land Acknowledgment Committee), Andrea Knutson (Associate Professor, English, Land Acknowledgment Committee), Megan Peiser (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Assistant Professor of English, Land Acknowledgment Committee), Mozghon Rajaee (Assistant Professor, Dept. By recognizing the ways that settler-colonial institutions benefit from these interconnected histories, we work to hold the University accountable. Megan and Ashleigh both contributed, but [there was still this question of] how do we create this with a larger community having input? Among the many reasons for adopting the statement is the need for Oakland University to demonstrate a public show of respect to Native peoples who have been appreciated. Hours, Directions & Parking The preservation and perpetuation of customs and traditions of Indigenous nations are essential to our shared cultural heritage. 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 preservation and perpetuation of customs and traditions of Indigenous nations are essential to our shared cultural heritage. Did you encounter any technical issues? Meadow Brook Staff Even when acknowledgments point to wanting to build better relations and future with Indigenous people, she said, often institutions or organizations fail to put action to those words. 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 The purpose of this statement of acknowledgement is to remind us to continue to be mindful and respectful of the history of this land. There has to be absolute action behind it," she said. Land acknowledgements also raise awareness about the Indigenous histories, perspectives and experiences that are often suppressed or forgotten. "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.. 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. "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. 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. The statement 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. 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. We recognize that Stanford sits on the ancestral land of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. WebWe recognize that Land Acknowledgements must be preceded and followed with ongoing and unwavering commitments to American Indian and Indigenous communities. In other cases, land acknowledgments might refer to stolen land a seemingly well-intentioned phrase designed to convey how Native people were driven from their homes. WebThe purpose of a land acknowledgement is to recognize, respect and affirm the ongoing relationship between Indigenous people and the land. In addition to normal employment and family obligations, Indigenous people are working to heal their traumas, learn their languages, and support their nations. -The Address/City/State. 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. It could be as simple as saying, This event is taking place on the traditional lands of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. It could take a more specific approach, such as We recognize the sustained oppression, land dispossession, and involuntary removals of the Muscogee and Cherokee peoples from Georgia and the Southeast On social media, it might show up as a red pushpin emoji, followed by the name of the tribe whose homelands one is on. 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). But it struck him that many Pueblos in the area would dispute those claims and a brief land acknowledgment would oversimplify what was actually a complex and contested history. 48309-4454 It comes across as a very painful denial of exactly what happened.. 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). He notices a similar lack of nuance in the ways people determine whose land theyre on. 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. 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. It feels like a box checking activity, like people are doing it to signal their politics, says Len Necefer, an Indigenous studies scholar and founder and CEO of the apparel and media company NativesOutdoors. The next step in the drafting process was collaborating with OUs administration to adjust and advance the land acknowledgement. Landscapess elements make up the blood, bone, and flesh that animate our bodies. To ensure they achieved their goals, the group made the language tangible by acknowledging specific Indigenous communities and accurately reflecting history. For Ta7talya Michelle Nahanee,who offers workshops on how to giveterritorial acknowledgments,land acknowledgments shouldn't be copied, pasted and read statements but rather meaningful personal commitments. -The Title and/or Text of the Land Acknowledgement (if applicable). Web*Land acknowledgement: Detroit occupies the contemporary and ancestral homelands of three Anishinaabe nations of the Council of Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi. 2023 Indigenous Land and Territorial Acknowledgements for Institutions, Indigenous Land and Territorial Acknowledgements for Institutions. But the map only includes the names of those tribes, without the history or context around potentially contested claims to the land. "To speak about your territorial acknowledgment in the past continues that dominant narrative.". 8. Acknowledgement is a simple way of resisting the erasure of Indigenous histories and working towards honoring and inviting the truth. WebResource Map - Land Acknowledgements. Heres why some take issue with land acknowledgments and what they say needs to happen for real repair and reconciliation to occur. positionality in relation to that land. King wants to see institutions, organizations, or whoever plans on making a land acknowledgment to collaborate with and support Indigenous communities. Professor, English Dept. For 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. This is important when extending and personalizing a given acknowledgment statement. Its an imperfect tool, Necefer says. -The Institution Type. Filming at the Hall We pledge to elevate our ways of knowing to better reflect the sustainable practices and peaceful coexistence that has allowed our beloved university to thrive. I hope our administration will.. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. Giving a land acknowledgement requires research and reflection to understand the historical and contemporary Indigenous communities having a relationship with the land. If you are struggling to find the words to acknowledge the Duwamish Tribe, please visit the Real Rent Duwamish page by CLICKING HERE for resources and more information on the importance of land acknowledgement. We want to acknowledge the history and land, and honour the Indigenous people who continue to love this land here in Waawiyatanong (Detroit, Michigan). This is important when extending and personalizing a given acknowledgment statement. 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. -The Address/City/State I really hope that Native issues are centered in classroom conversations and that more students and faculty understand the history of this land and how it continues to impact their own relationships with Native lands. 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 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. They've become so commonplace that you'll hear land acknowledgments at the start of hockey games, during academic conferencesand even written at the bottom of corporate email signatures. It had to emerge out of conversations with native communities, Knutson said. WebA Land Acknowledgement is a statement recognizing the people groups who originally stewarded the land prior to its colonization. Jeff Thomas, Editor-in-ChiefJune 30, 2021. If we can understand that, I think the rest will come.. As a community, we recognize that this is the ancestral land of the Three Fires Confederacy, the Ojibwa, Odawa, Potawatomi, and Wyandot nations. The land was ceded in the 1807 Treaty of Detroit and makes up southeast Michigan. Discovery Company. We recognize that settler and Indigenous signatories understood the terms of the treaties in starkly different terms. It is up to you how you feel your acknowledgement should be carried out. The exercise felt uncomfortable and awkward, Necefer wrote in Outside magazine. Thank you for your interest in the Duwamish Tribe! We took a draft and we shared it with [Indigenous] folks and then got feedback and made modifications.. Reflect on the kind of engagement you have with these groups and recognize your positionality in relation to that land. Right now the administration is working on completing and expanding those goals. After all, when did celebrating birthdays became a thing? 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.. WebLand Acknowledgements Map. 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. Deel-McKenzie says a land acknowledgment should be seen as a first step one that must be followed by a call to action. 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. WebOne example of an opening land acknowledgement was: We acknowledge that The University of Michigan, named for Michigami, the worlds largest freshwater system and located in the Huron River watershed, was formed and has grown through connections with the land stewarded by the Niswi Ishkodewan Anishinaabeg: The Three Fires People who "A land acknowledgment should be an obligation," said King. Web*Land acknowledgement: Detroit occupies the contemporary and ancestral homelands of three Anishinaabe nations of the Council of Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi. 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. WebThe Universitys endowment was originally funded in significant measure by sale of land granted under Article 16 of the 1817 Treaty of the Foot of the Rapids, also known as the Treaty of Ft. Meigs. -The Address/City/State. What's wrong with land acknowledgments, and how to make them better | CBC News Loaded. This is how the land acknowledgement started, we started talking together. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. We acknowledge that this land was colonized via the Treaty of Detroit in 1807. Web*Land acknowledgement: Detroit occupies the contemporary and ancestral homelands of three Anishinaabe nations of the Council of Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi. The preservation and perpetuation of customs and traditions of Indigenous nations are essential to our shared cultural heritage. It could involve showing up to demonstrations led by Indigenous people in the area. A shortened land acknowledgement can also be used for email signatures. Rochester, Michigan 48309-4481, About So [there] was a keen awareness that this shouldnt be an acknowledgement thats just driven by non-Indigenous peoples, Rajaee said. Watch the Baroness von Sketch Show's satirical take on land acknowledgments: King wants to see institutions, organizations, or whoever plans on making a land acknowledgment tocollaborate with and support Indigenous communities. Build real, authentic relationships with Indigenous people. "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.". Tangible commitments like displaying the statement on OU websites, integrating it into courses and delivering the land acknowledgement statement at events were all outlined in the email. The statement serves as a reminder that the land we occupy is stolen and that we should honor the We recognize that Land Acknowledgements must be preceded and followed with ongoing and unwavering commitments to American Indian and Indigenous communities. Peiser expanded on this point and the groups mentality while crafting the language. 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 When we die, we return to the land and turn into the trees, rocks, and water that once gave us life, he wrote in Outside. Its not about your statement being correct. Its not about performance either. -The Address/City/State. Native Governance Center counts land repatriation as one of several ways that institutions and individuals might go beyond a simple land acknowledgment. I think that Indians would say, We want the land back.. This map represents the location and geographic spread of the entities analyzed through the survey. Its important people understand that when you put that upon Indigenous people, it can create a lot of additional stress on Native peoples and Native organizations., Larry Chavis, former director of UNCs American Indian Center, put it like this at a faculty council meeting after being asked to write a land acknowledgment for the university: Its like me writing my own thank you note for a gift that was taken from me.. Rochester , Can you do this? Soon Assistant Professor of English Megan Peiser (tribal affiliation Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) and English STEP student Ashleigh Dubie (tribal affiliation Cherokee) were brought on board. I spoke with Tara at an American Indian Health and Family Services event, at which she told me about writing it for [Harpers] class, Associate Professor of English Andrea Knutson said. 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. 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. ), Mozhgon Rajaee (Asst. Interactions between the two sides during negotiations were collaborative and respectful. Acknowledgement is a simple way of resisting the erasure of Indigenous histories and working towards honoring and inviting the truth. According to a map within the University archive, Anishinaabeg maintained an Indian Encampment south of the Red Cedar River when classes were first held at the University (then known as Michigan Agricultural College) on May 13, 1857. The phrase on stolen land can unknowingly erase these cultural views.. WebA Land Acknowledgement is a statement recognizing the people groups who originally stewarded the land prior to its colonization. A land acknowledgmentis a traditional custom in many Native communities and nations to show respect to the people of the land since time immemorial. 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. 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. From universities to sports games to city council meetings to Twitter bios, its becoming increasingly common to see statements recognizing that the land on which one is standing once belonged to Indigenous people. A land acknowledgement can be a few sentences or several pages. "Not just saying that we're scoring a brownie point on our Truth andReconciliation Commission report card. Eds. We affirm Indigenous sovereignty and hold Michigan State University accountable to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous peoples. If spoken, the order should be: (1) Welcome and words about the event, (2) Land Acknowledgment and specific relations to individual or collective actions, (3) Move into thescheduled program. 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. Universities around the state and country have issued similar land acknowledgement statements. Land acknowledgments are generally meant to acknowledge the Indigenous history of the land one is on. So for this issue, we begin by doing a territory acknowledgement for the place from which the magazine comes. The statement was approved by the OU Senate on February 18. In what Campus Communications deemed an explicit gesture intended to cultivate a mutually beneficial dialogue, Oakland University officially adopted the OU Land Acknowledgement Statement last month. "It's still the beginning of some kind of conversation," she said. In addition to normal employment and family obligations, Indigenous people are working to heal their traumas, learn their languages, and support their nations. Their voices lifted the project but there was still more to do. These statements, known as land acknowledgments, are an attempt to address the past, present and future of a particular location as it relates to Indigenous peoples as well as to understand ones own place within it. One is on and/or Text of the Muwekma Ohlone detroit land acknowledgement to see institutions, Indigenous land and Acknowledgements... 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