“Acknowledgment is a simple, powerful way of showing respect and a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture and toward inviting and honoring the truth” – USDAC Land Acknowledgment Guide
Reasons to Practice Land Acknowledgment:
Offer recognition and respect.
Counter the “doctrine of discovery” with the true story of the people who were already here.
Create a broader public awareness of the history that has led to this moment.
Begin to repair relationships with Native communities and with the land.
Support larger truth-telling and reconciliation efforts.
Remind people that colonization is an ongoing process, with Native lands still occupied due to deceptive and broken treaties.
Take a cue from Indigenous protocol, opening up space with reverence and respect.
Inspire ongoing action and relationship.
Want to do a Land Acknowledgement?
Anybody can acknowledge the original people of the land, and we encourage everybody to learn more about the indigenous people of the lands in which we all live, work, and visit. Below you can find some helpful resources, including a step-by-step guide for starting an acknowledgment practice in your organization that was created by the US Department of Arts and Culture, in partnership with Native / Indigenous allies and organizations. Please reach out to us if you have any suggestions or feedback for this list (start@TeamCinder.com).
To further support Native American communities, here are a few organizations we recommend that you engage with.
NAYA: Enhances the diverse strengths of our youth and families in partnership with the community through cultural identity and education.
ONAC: Dedicated to working with all members of the community to advance the educational and economic opportunities for Native Americans in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
NICWA: Working to eliminate child abuse and neglect by strengthening our families, tribes, and the laws that protect them.
NARA: Providing education, physical and mental health services and substance abuse treatment that is culturally appropriate to American Indians, Alaska Natives and anyone in need.
MMIW: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women / Coalition to stop violence against native women
We welcome your feedback as we continue to learn how to best acknowledge, honor, and engage with the complex and robust history of indigenous people in our area. Systemic policies of genocide, relocation, and assimilation cannot be summarized in such a brief acknowledgment, but we hope to draw attention to the opportunities that exist when it comes to acknowledging the history and supporting the future of Indigenous people in Oregon, SW Washington and the rest of the country.
