November is Native American Heritage Month and as we celebrate this month, we’re taking the time to acknowledge the Native American people who have stewarded Mni Sota (Minnesota) for generations.
Two main Indigenous groups occupy Mni Sota: the Dakota and Anishinaabe people. While the Dakota people composed mainly of the Sioux and Eastern and Western Dakota, the Anishiaabe include a much wider range of culturally related indigenous peoples. These include: the Odawa, Saulteaux, Ojibwe (including Mississaugas), Potawatomi, Oji-Cree, and Algonquin peoples.
Recognizing the Mni Sota had always been occupied by the Dakota and Anishinaabe people for generations is a Land Acknowledgement.
This is important because the Land Acknowledgement recognizes the continued relationship between the land and the Indigenous people. As lspirg puts it:
“To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honouring 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.”
The process for a formal Land Acknowledgement is simple: it is a formal statement stating the acknowledgement of the relationships between land and people. Lspirg adds some formal tips, as listed here:
- The person giving the acknowledgement should be the host of the event or meeting themselves
- Include a formal thank you to the host nation whenever making a presentation or holding a meeting, whether or not Indigenous individuals are part of the meeting or gathering
- A land acknowledgment is not something you “just do” before an event. Rather it is a reflection process in which you build mindfulness and intention walking into whatever gathering you are having. It should be rooted in whose land you are honoured to stand on and should guide how you move forward in both conversations and actions.
But a Land Acknowledgement is only one step in the right direction.
As allies, as members of a community, and as people who occupy the same land, we must move beyond simply acknowledging. Some keys steps in moving past acknowledging include:
- Make sure to educate yourself. Don’t sit and wait around for someone to educate you. Actively seek out resources and do your research when you don’t know. Start first with learning whose land you’re on and the people.
- Be involved with the community. Find community organizations in your city who serve or work with Indigenous people and get involved, either as a volunteer or just sharing their messages and events. Join their events (if they’re open to the public!).
- Take it beyond. Don’t let this knowledge sit only within yourself. Share it with your circles, with your family and friends. Bring them in.
Resources
- https://www.teenvogue.com/story/indigenous-land-acknowledgement-explained
- https://www.northwestern.edu/native-american-and-indigenous-peoples/about/Land%20Acknowledgement.html
- https://www.lspirg.org/knowtheland/
