Land Acknowledgment
What is land acknowledgment?
Land acknowledgment is a custom that dates back centuries in many Native nations and communities. An acknowledgment of the land is a formal statement that recognizes Indigenous peoples as the traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories. A speaker offers this acknowledgment before public events and gatherings at the University of Toledo.
Why is it important?
It's important to reocognize and honor the Indigenous people who have been living and working on this land for centuries, the land on which we now live and work. Speaking the words of the land acknowledgment statement encourage us to think about our place in that history and in the ongoing process of colonialism.
utoledo land acknowledgment statement
The University of Toledo acknowledges that the region of Ohio in which the University sits is the ancestral homelands of the Seneca, Erie and Odawa, as well as places of trade for Indigenous peoples, including the Anishinaabe (Ojibwa, Pottawatomi), Kilatika, Lenape, Kaskaskia, Kickapoo, Miami, Munsee, Peoria, Piankashaw, Shawnee, Wea and Wyandot. As a steward of public lands, it is our responsibility to understand the history of the land, the peoples who came before us and their continuing ties to this place. We thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.
GUIDELINES FOR USING THE STATEMENT
The land acknowledgment statement can be read before all campus events and gatherings.
- The statement should be read carefully and intentionally. It is meant to be a reflection.
- If possible, we encourage you to read the statement aloud together as a group.
- Practice the names of the Native nations and pronounce them properly.
- You may add the statement to your email signature, syllabus or wherever appropriate.
native american history and cultural resources
Books
- There, There by Tommy Orange
- Land of the Three Miamis: A Traditional Narrative of the Iroquois in Ohio by Barbara Alice Mann, UToledo JSHC Assistant Professor of Humanities
- The Round House by Louise Erdrich
- Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich
- The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
- Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
podcasts
- Code Switch: So What Exactly is "Blood Quantum"?
- My Favorite Native American Podcasts
- 12 Great Podcasts Hosted by Indigenous Women