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Introduction to Indigenous Cultural Competency for McMaster Educators: Acknowledgement

Acknowledging the Land 

“McMaster University recognizes and acknowledges that it is located on the traditional territories of the Mississauga and Haudenosaunee nations, and within the lands protected by the ‘Dish with One Spoon” wampum agreement.”

You may have been audience to this practice in various other settings or territories, and witnessed varying depths of engagement.

“Indigenous land acknowledgment is an effort to recognize the Indigenous past, present, and future of a particular location and to understand our own place within that relationship. Usually, land acknowledgments take the form of written and/or verbal statements. It’s becoming more and more common to see land acknowledgments delivered at conferences, community gatherings, places of worship, concerts and festivals, etc.” (Beyond Land Acknowledgment: A Guide) 

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Extend Your Learning 

In order to engage in the practice of land acknowledgement in good faith, we must first understand more about how Indigenous people understand the relationship with land, and the mechanics of land dispossession.  

To learn more, watch Land governance: Past and consider the following questions: 

  1. How do Indigenous people understand their relationship with land? 
  2. What are some key differences in how Indigenous peoples, and the state of Canada understand land rights? What effects have these understandings had on Indigenous, and non-Indigenous peoples? 
  3. From where do Indigenous peoples draw their “rights’? 

Why Land Acknowledgements Matter provides an example of a land acknowledgement from an Indigenous perspective that discusses the lands now known as “Toronto”. 

The Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement

McMaster’s Land acknowledgement locates our collective place within the relationship defined by the Dish with One Spoon wampum covenant, which refers to sustainable and equitable sharing of the resource-rich territory within lands on which McMaster University’s main campus currently sits.  

This initial agreement of shared stewardship was between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and refers to sustainable, responsible shared stewardship. This is just one example of Indigenous treaty-making that existed prior to European presence upon Turtle Island that reflect the values of Indigenous worldview: kinship, balance, stewardship, and reciprocal relations between all living things, human, and non-human. 

When giving a land acknowledgement, we are not only recognizing the historical and political roots of Indigenous communities such as the Haudenosaunee and the Mississaugas, but are also giving thanks and gratitude to those Peoples for their stewardship and defense of the natural lands from which they have been largely dispossessed by the development of the nation of Canada. We need to stand in solidarity with these Indigenous Nations as they continue their efforts towards land defence and the strategic goals of returning land back. 

When we consider the Dish with One Spoon Treaty Agreement, we need to remind ourselves that the guiding principles do not only apply to us as humans sharing a common land and space, but to the need to be in good relations with the land, and our non-human relatives. This view of relationality, reciprocity, and respect should inform our practice as both educators and learners, as well as remind us as individuals of our role in the continued care of our shared environments. 

In what ways might the practice of acknowledging land, and Indigenous sovereignty in this way affect your relations with Indigenous people in the University, local communities, and beyond? 

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Extend Your Learning 

Start by learning more about the nations cited in the McMaster Land Acknowledgement.  

Learn more about the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Six Nations of the Grand River. 

Recognizing other lands and relationships

The abrupt shift to online work and learning in 2020 reminded us that McMaster community members work, live, and come from territories both local to and far from the Hamilton region. As an institution we have long-standing relationships with, and responsibilities to many local communities, increasingly so with multiple campus sites across the GTA and Golden Horseshoe regions, and in online spaces. 

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Extend Your Learning 

For more information about the specific territory you are on, please visit www.native-land.ca, and reflect on your own relationship with land and territory. Tailor your own land acknowledgements accordingly based on the lands on which you live, and from which you benefit. 

Wilfrid Laurier University has created a guide to help you craft your own land acknowledgement.  

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Questions for reflection

  1. What does it mean to Indigenous, and non-Indigenous people to hear, or participate in a land acknowledgement in an educational setting? 
  2. What responsibilities do McMaster community members have to the Dish with One Spoon agreement? 
  3. What actions, or further relationship building needs to follow a land acknowledgement? 
  4. Which nations traditionally resided on the lands you were raised upon? Is your “home” region party to any treaties, agreements, or open land claims currently?