February 17, 2021

A Supportive Guide to Land Acknowledgements, by Isadora Jimenez-Hidalgo, Ph.D.

This guide helps raise awareness about the history of Coast Salish People and the land where the City of Seattle is located. It also provides facilitative instructions on how and why to craft and deliver an attentive land acknowledgement statement. It is meant as a gateway to begin learning about the history of Indigenous Peoples and modifying our behaviors to acknowledge and respect Indigenous Peoples.

 

Please find the full guide here (LINK UPDATED 03/2023) and the Summary from the guide below.

 

 

Summary

 

This guide provides context and best practices for drafting a land acknowledgement statement. It is not meant to replace the land acknowledgement statement officially recognized by the University of Washington, nor is it an exhaustive review of the information one may want to consider when drafting and delivering a land acknowledgement. This guide offers suggestions and ‘how to’ instructions for individuals interested in creating and engaging with a land acknowledgement. This guide is a living document and will be updated as needed, suggestions are welcome, and any text herein may be subject to change according to the sovereign status of Tribal nations and Indigenous peoples. Please email the chairs of the Equity and Inclusion committee at safsincl@uw.edu to provide feedback or set up a time to discuss the content in this guide.

 

First, this guide begins by describing the what, why, who and how of a land acknowledgement decorum (Section 2). The how part extends into respectful and meaningful aspects of a land acknowledgement statement, which recognizes the sovereign status of American Indian and Alaska Natives, their government-to-government relationships with the US government, and their fishing rights.

 

The land acknowledgement statements from three Universities in Section 2.5 highlight the continuous presence of Indigenous Peoples in our communities, their history and their traditional homelands. For instance, the University of Washington’s land acknowledgement is a dynamic document based on the sovereignty of Tribal nations. The guide also includes an example of a land acknowledgement that someone from SAFS might deliver, and provides best practices for land acknowledgement decorum. A list of resources to continue learning about our relationship with Indigenous Peoples is included in Section 2.6: What is next?

 

Section 3, Coast Salish Sea People Past and Present, provides brief historical background pertinent to the Tribes mentioned in the University of Washington’s land acknowledgement. The content could be used as a reference to be expanded upon when drafting or presenting a land acknowledgement. Section 3 also includes relevant information about the Tulalip, Muckleshoot, and Suquamish Nations’ current communities and resource management programs, and relevant information about the Duwamish People.

 

Lastly, this guide concludes with a list of terminology, training opportunities, and references to further explore and learn about Indigenous Peoples and Tribal nations across the shared waters of the Salish Sea and beyond.