Being a Part of a Teaching Team at Brock
1 Land Acknowledgements
The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) states that “acknowledging territory shows recognition of and respect for Aboriginal Peoples. It is recognition of their presence both in the past and the present. Recognition and respect are essential elements of establishing healthy, reciprocal relations” (2019, para 4).
Anishinaabe writer and educator Hayden King on the CBC radio show Unreserved has described land acknowledgements as “a political statement encouraging primarily non-Indigenous people to recognize that they’re on Indigenous land and hopefully do something about it. It’s sort of an intervention into the business-as-usual conversations that are held in universities or government where we typically see these land acknowledgments” (2019).
However, despite being a strong movement in academia to include land acknowledgments, they have faced criticism. Métis scholar Chelsea Vowel has commented that land acknowledgments may operate “as sites of potential disruption” and if they are thought of this way, “they can be transformative acts that to some extent undo Indigenous erasure” (2016). Vowel reminds those preparing to make a land acknowledgment to consider their reasons for doing so and undertake some research to inform your acknowledgment.
Make Land Acknowledgement Meaningful
Land acknowledgment statements are usually made at the opening of a class, workshop, session, meeting, etc. In the article How can I make the land acknowledgment meaningful?, Angela Nardozi shares 7 ideas to make land acknowledgment meaningful.
It is valuable to know about the history of the land where you live, work, and were born and raised. Native Land Interactive Map is a website dedicated to sharing education about Indigenous lands around the globe. You can use the map by entering your address or by mousing or clicking around on the map to see the relevant territories in a location. This valuable resource is created by Native Land Digital, a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization.
Below you can find Brock’s official land acknowledgment.
Brock’s Official Land Acknowledgement
The following is Brock’s official land acknowledgment. You can use this land acknowledgment in any teaching environment at Brock.
Brock University acknowledges the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, many of whom continue to live and work here today.
This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement.
Today this gathering place is home to many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, and acknowledging reminds us that our great standard of living is directly related to the resources and friendship of Indigenous people.
