To Teach and Integrate Minority Experiences, we collectively commit to dismantling every system of supremacy and bringing awareness to the history of Indigenous people nationwide.
Native culture is embedded in the oldest parts of our civilization and it is time we as a country honored it. The word Connecticut comes from the Algonquian language, meaning "long river" in reference to the Connecticut River. In Connecticut, we are on the traditional territory of the Mohegan, Mohican, Pequot, Niantic, Nipmuc, Mattabesic, Schaghticoke, Paugussett, Quinnipiac, Wappinger, Pequonnock, Hammonasset, Wangunk, Tunxis and Massacoes peoples. We regard them as the past, present and future caretakers of this land.
For over 500 years, Natives and their ancestors have shown resilience and strength against the efforts to separate them from their lands and culture. With this acknowledgment we honor the people and cultures of Native Americans, we show our respect of these sacred lands and we remind all that colonization is an ongoing, current process. This statement of support is to start centering the Indigenous voice in spaces they have been previously overlooked. By authentically taking part in this practice, we honor the traditions of Indigenous protocol and offer our highest respects to all Native citizens and tribal descendants. This recognition aims to bring mindful intention to all spaces we occupy and to understand that this is also a dedication to allyship, self-reflection and commitment to solidarity.
Any Tribal Nation that has a government website has been linked to their name above. Those Nations who do not are linked to accredited sources, if found.
What is a Land Acknowledgement?
A Land Acknowledgement is an informative and formal introduction to the Native American tribes that first inhabited the lands on which we reside currently. It is an understanding of the sacred relationship between Native communities and their lands. Recognizing the tribes displaced from these lands is not enough, it begins to hold value as a practice when there is authentic cultural awareness and a call to action with it.
When is the right time for a Land Acknowledgement?
Any event, gathering of people, meeting or educational space in which Native American land is being occupied are the appropriate times for a Land Acknowledgement.
Why do people do Land Acknowledgements?
There are many significant reasons why an individual would choose to include on in their introduction to a gathering. It should always be done to recognize, honor and respect Native Americans and their culture. It is also to offer reconciliation for the inaccurate widespread history of colonization and to incite action from participants.
More Resources
Linked Below
LSPRIG: Creating Agents of Social Change, Know the Land Territories Campaign
Wilfrid Laurier University, Indigenous Allyship: An Overview
Native Governance Center, A Guide to Land Acknowledgement