Land Acknowledgments

For the next year, Compass is engaging in a company-wide reading and discussion series on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Each month, we choose a different topic or reading as the focus of our learning and discussion.

This month, we read some of the  many, many, many different perspectives on land acknowledgments. Land (or territorial) acknowledgments – more and more commonly given at the start of everything from government events to hockey games – are formal statements that can recognize Indigenous Peoples’ rights and relationships to the land, highlight past and ongoing colonialism, and continue calls for social change. We wanted to learn more about how they are implemented, how they can affect Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences, and perhaps how we can work toward creating more meaningful acknowledgments when engaging with Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups in our projects. So across those different perspectives, did we see any areas of agreement that can clarify if and how we can do meaningful land acknowledgments?

Overall, there was agreement across our readings that creating acknowledgments should start with internal reflection on why you are doing this, which involves learning about past and ongoing injustices, land stewardship practices, and cultures of Indigenous groups you are acknowledging. Other basic tips to get started on creating authentic acknowledgments included researching whose land you are on to ensure you accurately acknowledge the right groups, practice pronouncing names correctly, and avoid using past tense – emphasizing that systemic racism and colonial practices are still persisting, and that the rights and influences of Indigenous Peoples and cultures are as critical today as they were in the past.

Some perspectives we read agreed that land acknowledgements can be a helpful first step in increasing awareness (for non-Indigenous audiences). For some of us at Compass, even simply putting a land acknowledgment in an email signature has sparked conversations with relatives and friends who wanted to understand more.

However, we heard (and supported) many perspectives agreeing that acknowledgments are viewed as a first, minimal step toward reconciliation that are insufficient (and could be interpreted as disingenuous and performative) if not followed up by actions. In one article, a quote by the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture captured this concept well: “Honoring a territory is a small gesture that becomes meaningful when coupled with an authentic relationship and informed action.” As a company, we will continue learning and exploring actionable ways to support Indigenous communities as part of our work and in our daily lives.

More guidance for creating meaningful land acknowledgments can be found in many places online, including the Native Governance Center and Native Land Digital.