"There have always been indigenous peoples in the spaces we call home, and there always will be."

Delilah FriedlerFEB 8, 2018 10:19AM EST

By now, many know that the colonization myth we learned in school doesn’t tell the whole story of how the Americas were settled. In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue, but what he discovered was not a “New World” — it was one inhabited by millions of indigenous people.

Living in villages, bands, and confederacies, their traditional territories spanned the entire continent. Indigenous people still live among us, yet how many of us could name the specific tribe or nation whose land we live on?

In Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, it’s harder and harder to not be aware. That’s because school days and meetings — and even hockey games — often begin with a “land acknowledgment,” a formal statement that pays tribute to the original inhabitants of the land. Indigenous peoples have acknowledged one another’s lands for centuries, but in the past decade, some Western governments have begun to promote the practice. An acknowledgment might be short: “This event is taking place on traditional Chickasaw land.” Or it might be longer and more specific: “We are gathered today on the occupied territory of the Musqueam people, who have stewarded this land for generations.”

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The purpose of these statements is to show respect for indigenous peoples and recognize their enduring relationship to the land. Practicing acknowledgment can also raise awareness about histories that are often suppressed or forgotten.

“There have always been indigenous peoples in the spaces we call home, and there always will be,” Kanyon Sayers-Roods, a Mutsun Ohlone activist in Northern California, tells Teen Vogue. The Ohlone are indigenous to the Bay Area, and Kanyon is often invited to make acknowledgment statements at events in San Francisco and Oakland.

“The acknowledgment process is about asking, What does it mean to live in a post-colonial world? What did it take for us to get here? And how can we be accountable to our part in history?” she says.

Not a real government agency but a “people-powered department,” the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture offers a resource called “Honor Native Land: A Guide and Call to Acknowledgment," created in consultation with more than a dozen Natives from various nations who recognized that while acknowledgment is common in indigenous spaces, it may be a new practice for non-Natives.

In addition to customizable “You Are On _______ Land” posters, an organizational pledge, and the hashtag #HonorNativeLand, the USDAC offers a step-by-step guide to acknowledgment:

1. Identify.

“The first step is identifying the traditional inhabitants of the lands you’re on. This task may be complicated by multiple and contested histories . . . So it is important to proceed with care, doing good research before making statements of acknowledgment.”

2. Articulate.

“Once you’ve identified the group(s) who should be recognized, formulate the statement. There is no exact script . . . Beginning with just a simple sentence would be a meaningful intervention in most U.S. spaces . . . Often, statements specifically honor elders . . . Acknowledgments may also make explicit mention of the occupied, unceded nature of the territory.”

3. Deliver.

“Offer your acknowledgment as the first element of a welcome to the next public gathering or event that you host. If . . . you’ve built relationships with members of Native communities, consider inviting them to give a welcome before yours . . . Acknowledgment should be approached not as a set of obligatory words to rush through . . . Consider your own place in the story of colonization and of undoing its legacy.”

“To do it well, it means building relationships — going beyond the Google Map that says ‘this is who lives here,’” Adam Horowitz, one of the authors of the guide, tells Teen Vogue. The guide suggests maps such as the one at Native-Land.ca as a good starting place.

But talking to indigenous people in your area will provide a much fuller picture than a map or article can provide. “Actually find Native groups where you live and speak with them about it,” Adam says. “Learn how they’d like to be acknowledged.” In forming those relationships, you may learn about not only the history of the land but also present-day challenges that tribes are facing.

Contrary to the way it’s framed in textbooks, colonization is an ongoing process. Indigenous people are still here, and their lands are still occupied. In learning to acknowledge this, we can take a first step on the long road toward reconciliation.

“We benefit so much from the land we live on,” Kanyon says. Speaking of the “reciprocal energy” of indigenous practices, she adds, “When we benefit and gain things, it is important to also offer and give.” With acknowledgment, “you’re giving your time and your energy to seek out more information, to learn.”

The USDAC guide is being used to promote acknowledgment in classrooms, theaters, and cultural venues. Downloads spiked around Thanksgiving, a time when many of us sense the tensions of a family holiday rooted in colonialism. Acknowledgment can pave the way for challenging but productive conversations.

“Here’s something you can do at your dinner table, and it matters,” Adam says. “Yes research, yes relationships, and you can start today."

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/indigenous-land-acknowledgement-explained

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3896851&forum_id=2#35432101)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/17/opinion/sunday/yoga-pants-sweatpants-women.html

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3896851&forum_id=2#35432103)