Creating a Land Acknowledgement
Land acknowledgements are a respectful way to start meaningful conversations with and in support of Indigenous communities, and to honor their enduring stewardship of these lands, as well as to elevate the presence and voices of Native peoples – past, present, and future. There is not a one-stop-shop for creating your own land acknowledgement, which should be done in communication with Native American Tribes and Indigenous communities, but here are some resources to help you get started. Land acknowledgement is complicated but possible and important. Thank you for your interest in learning more!
- This interactive map can serve as a starting point for your research. *Please note that not all of the spatial information has been verified by the respective Native groups.*
https://native-land.ca/ - This site has wealth of accessible information about crafting an acknowledgement:
A guide to Indigenous land acknowledgment - Native Governance Center - It is important to consider your intentions in this process. This piece by Indigenous anthropologists discusses implications of language choice on honoring Tribes versus sanitizing history.
- Here are a couple of good examples:
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Field Museum of Chicago - You can use our directory to search for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers in your area and reach out to them. *Please note that an absence of THPO does not indicate an absence of past and present Native American Tribes, and also that many THPOs necessarily triage their workload, so response times can vary.*
NATHPO Directory of THPOs - You can also reach out to the State Historic Preservation Officer in your state, as someone who typically maintains current information as part of their duty to consult with Indian Tribes, including federally recognized and non-federally recognized groups:
NCSHPO | The National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers - Finally, here is a 2-minute video using comedy to highlight the importance of intentions in this process.
Thank you for looking into this FIRST step in crafting a land acknowledgement. We encourage you to work to partner with your local Tribal and Indigenous communities and seek a better understanding of their interests in their ancestral homelands.