What is a Land Acknowledgement, and Why Do We Practice it?
May is the month that marks two important Indigenous campaigns that OCSU works with. Red Dress Day in on May 5th. “The day honours and brings awareness to the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people who have been subject to disproportionate violence in Canada. Red Dress Day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project installation, in which she hung empty, red dresses to represent the missing and murdered women. Red dresses have become symbolic of the crisis as a result of her installation. OCSU invites all members to join us in hanging a red dress on your front door.
May 11th is Moosehide Campaign Day. “Moose Hide Campaign Day is a day of ceremony where all Canadians are called to join together to take a stand against violence towards women and children and to take practical steps for our collective journey of reconciliation.” This year the campaign is hosting a live streamed event, check out the details here.
With heavy focus on Indigenous campaigns this month, we wanted to dive into the act of Land, or Territory, acknowledging, which is becoming more and more common. If any of you have ever emailed with OCSU representatives or staff, you’ll have seen them in our email signatures. Or, you may have heard them at the beginning of important gatherings and events.
Land acknowledgements are formal statements that recognize and respect the traditional territories and lands of Indigenous peoples. These statements have become increasingly common in Canada, as individuals, organizations, and institutions seek to acknowledge the historical and ongoing impact of colonialism and the continued presence and resilience of Indigenous peoples.
The practice of land acknowledgements is rooted in the recognition of the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples and the importance of land in Indigenous cultures and identities. Land is not just a physical space, but also carries spiritual, cultural, and historical significance for Indigenous peoples. Land acknowledgements help to recognize and honour this relationship, and to demonstrate a commitment to working in partnership with Indigenous communities towards reconciliation and healing.
In Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) identified the importance of land acknowledgements in its Calls to Action. Call to Action #50 calls on the federal government to work with Indigenous peoples to develop and implement a national strategy for promoting the use of Indigenous languages and to support and promote the use of Indigenous place names, including land acknowledgements.
Land acknowledgements are a small but important step towards reconciliation and building relationships with Indigenous peoples. They help to promote understanding and awareness of Indigenous history, culture, and rights, and signal a commitment to working towards a more just and equitable future for all Canadians.
It is important to note that land acknowledgements are not a replacement for concrete actions to address the ongoing impacts of colonialism and to support Indigenous self-determination. They should be seen as a starting point for engagement and a reminder of the ongoing responsibilities we have as settlers on this land.
Land acknowledgements are a meaningful and important practice that recognize the traditional territories and lands of Indigenous peoples in Canada. They demonstrate a commitment to reconciliation and working in partnership with Indigenous communities towards a more just and equitable future. However, it is important to follow up with concrete actions to address the ongoing impacts of colonialism and support Indigenous self-determination.