​​Writing Land Acknowledgements

​​Writing Land Acknowledgements by Felina Silver

Do you ever wake up and think about the land you live on? Who first turned the soil, built on it, planted the first seeds, and raised the first animals? I certainly have. I was both curious and furious as a child growing up knowing that Christoper Columbus received credit for discovering the Americas, which is how he eventually got the day honoring him, “Columbus Day.” As a person with Indigenous lineage, it makes my heart burn to hear his name. How does anyone get credit for discovering land that others were already living on?

In 2018, my first task as a member of Brookline’s Indigenous Peoples Celebration Committee was to help write the Town’s Land Acknowledgement. To define it: “A Land Acknowledgment is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.” Taken from https://www.northwestern.edu/native-american-and-indigenous-peoples/about/Land%20Acknowledgement.html

When writing a land acknowledgment, it is important to get feedback from members of the existing tribes from the area. Thankfully, Brookline’s IPCC not only had me to stand for my Cherokee heritage as well as one other indigenous member who helped to review the final statement. If none were available, there would have been a search for former residents or ask another indigenous person for their input. If you are unable to get an individual to help you, do the best to research the topic and see what others have done.

It is important to note that land acknowledgments can bring up a lot of feelings for those originally affected by those who took their land or took credit for the successes of their land. Without feedback from those individuals, it is best to focus on the land itself. If you have feedback or experience from indigenous individuals, it will help should you have to bring the land acknowledgement before an Advisory Board and then Town Meeting members. It is my feeling that it helps all involved when everyone gets to hear experiences of individuals or families who fuel the writing of the land acknowledgement. Then when presenting to others, it is key to have those present who can speak to their feelings and experiences or those of their people. If I had not gotten up before our town meeting to speak of my mother’s experiences coming to Boston, our land acknowledgment would not have made it through.

I find that one of the biggest hurdles people have with passing land acknowledgements is the fact that no one wants to take ownership of the things that may have happened in the past. Additionally, people feel that individuals only care about returning their land and are looking for money. This should not stop you from doing what you are trying to do, as the real hope is that everyone acknowledges what happened in the past and the truth about the land and what it has offered to all those fortunate enough to have successfully lived on it, raising their families and maintaining their various trades.