Land acknowledgement

Have you heard of a land acknowledgement?

You may have experienced a land or territory acknowledgement at school before you begin your day, at an event, or maybe in the media.

A land acknowledgement can be a meaningful way to recognize the long and enduring histories and relationships that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and communities have had, and continue to have, with the land since time immemorial . They are meant also as a way for non-Indigenous people to situate (or place) themselves and their own histories in how they came to be on the land now known as Canada.

You may have noticed that the quote is missing some punctuation. Sometimes when direct speech is written down, pieces may be left out (such as punctuation). When we are using quotes in our work, we have to honour the original source and how they presented the quote, even if there are pieces missing.

Examine the following video to explore Ariana Roundpoint's personal land acknowledgment. Ariana is a Mohawk author from Akwesasne, a First Nations community near Cornwall, Ontario. Consider jotting down some notes about the details Ariana includes in her personal land acknowledgement.

In this learning activity, you will explore the roles that honouring treaties, acknowledging the land, and respecting Indigenous stewardship have in building a sustainable future for the Earth.

Indigenous traditional or ancestral territories

Indigenous communities have lived on Turtle Island, the land that is now Canada, since time immemorial . Only in the last 500 years did a large population of settlers from other continents come to live on this land. Before European contact, there were hundreds of Indigenous nations.

As we learn more about Indigenous ways of knowing and relating to the land, let’s consider the traditional territories, also referred to as ancestral territories, in Ontario.

For some, it may be difficult to visualize what the country that is now referred to as Canada might have looked like without provincial borders or the population that inhabits it now. This was when the land was made up of traditional territories. Borders were not as formal or official as they are today, but there were specific areas that Indigenous Nations lived, hunted, and travelled within. These borders would be defined by naturally occurring divisions in the Earth such as lakes, rivers, forests, etc.

So far in this learning activity we have been introduced to several key vocabulary terms:

• land acknowledgement
• time immemorial
• traditional territories (or ancestral territories)

Whether you’ve heard these terms before or not, working with important or “key vocabulary” is a very useful tool in understanding new topics and texts. To understand a new word or term, it’s not enough for us to just read a definition. To really understand, our brains need to think about it in different ways. This is where a vocabulary notebook can be a useful tool!

Choose one of the following fillable and printable graphic organizers, or another method of your choice, to record the vocabulary terms and explore more about their meanings. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.

As you come across more key vocabulary terms (or words that are new to you), add them to your vocabulary notebook.

The meaning of treaties and treaty territory

Treaties are agreements about how the land will be used and shared. They are agreements that are made between two nations and are legally-binding.

There is a long history of treaty-making on Turtle Island (North America). First Nations communities created their own treaties between separate nations that outlined each group’s roles and responsibilities. These treaties were recorded orally and also visually through forms such as wampum belts.

Wampum belts represent the living history for different nations including the Haudenosaunee, the Mi’kmaq, and the Anishinaabe.

When we study the past, using primary sources to understand what happened is very important. One of the most valuable primary sources for understanding the past on Turtle Island are wampum belts.

Press the following tabs to review the different types of sources of historical information.

Treaties today often refer to the agreements made between First Nations and the Crown (the Canadian Government). This allowed the Crown to use the expansive traditional lands of Indigenous Peoples and outlined the promises and obligations that were required of both parties to fulfill this partnership.

The Canadian Government and Indigenous Peoples viewed treaties very differently. When the first treaties were signed, the Crown viewed them as official sales, or transfers of ownership, of land. In Indigenous Knowledge systems, people do not own the land, they are caretakers of the land and treaties were viewed as agreements to share the land and honour everyone’s cultures and ways of life. The idea of owning land is a colonial concept.

Caretakers of the Earth

Indigenous and settler points of view are also very different when it comes to making decisions about how the land and its resources should be treated or managed. Being a caretaker of the Earth and making sure it is sustainable for future generations is called environmental stewardship.

In Indigenous Knowledge systems, humans have a sacred responsibility to care for the Earth and use its resources in ways that don’t ruin or deplete them.

Settler, or colonial beliefs, have often prioritized control (power) and money (wealth) before environmental stewardship. Over the years, the actions of settlers and the Government have had many negative consequences for the land, air, and water. These consequences have made it difficult for Indigenous communities to live traditionally and practice their treaty rights such as hunting, fishing, and trapping.

Most of the time, the traditional and treaty territory of an area belongs to the same Indigenous Nations and/or communities. However sometimes, other Indigenous Nation(s) or communities may have signed a treaty outside of their traditional territory. Some territories have never had a treaty, and these lands are called unceded territories.

Take a minute and record the following key vocabulary in your vocabulary notebook or using another method of your choice.

• treaties
• wampum belt
• primary source
• the Crown
• environmental stewardship
• unceded territories

Are there any other words or phrases that you’d also like to add? Do that now!

Identifying traditional and treaty territories

To identify the traditional territory and treaty territory (or territories) on which your community is located, ask a trusted adult to help you and use the following suggestions to research and find the information.

Earlier in this learning activity, you were asked to compare the views of Indigenous Peoples and settlers when it comes to land ownership and treaties.

When we are comparing and contrasting information, conjunctions are a useful tool!

Conjunctions are words used to join words, phrases, clauses, and sentences to one another. You can think of them as the glue that holds sentences together!

Check out the following video to review some of the most common conjunctions.

Coordinating conjunctions are conjunctions that link words or phrases that are similar grammatically or equal to each other. Check out the following image to explore the acronym FANBOYS and the seven coordinating conjunctions used in the English language.

Understanding our role as treaty people

Aimée Craft is an Anishinaabe-Métis lawyer and author who writes books on understanding the significance and the importance of treaties. Her book Treaty Words: For As Long As the Rivers Flow is a picture book written specifically for young people.

Explore the following text from an interview Aimée Craft did in February 2021 with the Open Book foundation where she talks about her book Treaty Words: For As Long As the Rivers Flow.

After reading

Based on the text from the interview with Aimée Craft, answer the following questions. Record your thinking in a notebook or using another method of your choice.

1. In your own words, why do you think Aimée wrote this book?
2. What do you think the word “reciprocity” means? How could you find out?
3. Aimée says “In many ways this book is about environmental and social consciousness.” Consciousness means being aware of ourselves, others, and the world around us. Why do people need to be aware of environmental issues and social issues, such as treaty agreements?

Learning check!

Answer the following question about the intention of a land acknowledgment.

Select the correct answer, then press Check Answer to see how you did. 

Putting it all together

In the Minds On section of this learning activity, you explored a land acknowledgment by Ariana, who described what makes her traditional or ancestral territory so important to her.

To consolidate your learning, you will communicate about the land you live on, what you value about it, how it benefits you, and what your treaty obligations are towards it. You will share your ideas through a video or photo essay that uses words, images, and/or sounds to express your relationship to the land. You can also choose another method of your choice that communicates the information using words, images, and/or sounds.

You may choose to use the following graphic organizer, or another method of your choice, to help you plan and organize your work.

Access the following Video or Photo Essay Planning Organizer to complete the activity.

Use the following success criteria to help you create your final product.

Reflection

How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.