Land Acknowledgements recognize the original caretakers of these lands and waterways as a verbal confirmation of an ongoing relationship with the stewards of this place, past, present and future. They are personal declarations and works in progress. There is no right or wrong way to acknowledge land.
Some resources on how to make a land acknowledgment:
National:
- Whose Land includes interactive map and acknowledgment videos by Indigenous leaders
- Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) Territorial Acknowledgement by Province
- Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. (ICT) First Nation Protocol on Traditional Territory
- Native-Land.ca Interactive map that shows all the North American Indigenous territories, languages and treaties
- You can also subscribe to the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance newsletter
Tkarón:to:
- Updated advisory Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation name change
- Local Love An Oral History of Toronto
Central Canada:
- Know the Land Laurier Students' Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG)
- Toronto District School Board Indigenous Education Resources
- Map of Ontario treaties and reserves Province of Ontario
- NOW Article Unearthing the Indigenous remains within Parliament Hill
- CATR 2018 Territorial Acknowledgement
Western Canada:
Speak to an elder
- Guidelines for speaking to an elder CarltenU Centre For Indigenous Initiatives
- Elder invitation protocols U of T Elders Resource
Discord and Discussion
Many people have many things to say about land acknowledgements. Here are some additional readings to show the wide range of thinking:
- Beyond territorial acknowledgments by âpihtawikosisân
- 'I regret it' Hayden King on writing Ryerson University's territorial acknowledgement
- VICE article with reflections by Yolanda Bonnell, Cliff Cardinal, Syreeta Hector, Falen Johnson & Frances Koncan
Examples
We've started a Land Acknowledgement Video Series where artists and companies share their land acknowledgement and the process behind them in the hopes of generating conversation, listening and learning together.
We encourage you to share with us too! Send us:
1. Footage/a recording of your land acknowledgment
2. Your responses to the interview questions
to contributions @ generatorto .com to join in sharing, listening and learning from the community!
Further Reading and Training
- Treaties In Canada According to the Government of Canada
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission 94 Calls To Action
- Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. provides Indigenous relations training, resources and free eBooks
- CBC Article Calls for Justice : National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
- MMIWG Commission Final Report
For Indigenous Artists
Indigenous Artist Associations
- Aboriginal Curatorial Collective / Collectif des commissaires autochtones (ACC/CCA) is a national arts service organization that supports, promotes and advocates on behalf of Canadian and international Aboriginal curators, critics, artists and representatives of arts and cultural organizations.
- Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance (IPAA) is a multifaceted organization with geographically and artistically diverse Indigenous performing artists, arts organizations and our allies.
- National Indigenous Media Arts Coalition’s (NIMAC) priority is to support, promote, and advocate for Indigenous media artists and arts organizations within the context of Canadian media arts practices. NIMAC is a permanent region within the structure of the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) – a non-profit national organization working to advance the media arts community in Canada and representing 80+ independent media arts organizations across the country. NIMAC acts as the Indigenous arm of the IMAA.
Smudging Document
IPAA created this Smudging Document to facilitate the relationship between Indigenous performing artists and venues around the protected practice of burning traditional medicines as it relates to the performing arts.