Land Acknowledgement
ARHE, ARS and AAPG honor and acknowledge that the land on which we hold this year’s conference is the traditional territory of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Peoples. We also recognize the 48 Indigenous nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the state of Colorado – and Denver continues to be home to citizens of many Indigenous nations.
We acknowledge the painful histories of genocide and forced removal from land, and the assimilation of Indigenous peoples into U.S. society. We also acknowledge the enslaved African and Caribbean people whose labor was exploited to colonize this land. It is only through these acknowledgements that we can begin taking the first steps towards respecting and honoring those who have come before us; those who have cultivated relationships with and been caring stewards of this land that gives us life.
Social, government, academic and cultural institutions were founded upon and continue to enact exclusions and erasures of both Black and Indigenous peoples. By centering this fact as we gather today from many places to exchange knowledge and resources and build community with one another, we can reflect on how our work can endeavour to dismantle the ongoing legacies of oppression and inequity present in our society today. It is with deep gratitude that we convene on this land for our annual conference, celebrating scholastic recovery and the futures of our young people, while also being sure that we don’t forget the past in the process.
Resources
We encourage you to take the time to learn more about the history of this land and the peoples who have inhabited it, both here in Denver, and wherever you may go in the future. See below for some resources to get started, though we encourage you to explore more resources as well.
Pronunciations**
Ute [yoot]
Cheyenne [shy-ANN]
Araphaho [ah-ra-pa-hoe]
**These pronunciations guidelines are based on online dictionary phonetics and may be Anglicized from it’s original pronunciation.
What is a Land Acknowledgement?
A Land Acknowledgement 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.
Why do we recognize the land?
To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honoring the Indigenous People who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history.
Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.
For more information on the process of creating a Land Acknowledgement, please see the resources below:
- A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement (via Native Governance Center): A suggested process and tips for creating an intentional statement.
- Native Land Digital: A worldwide map of Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the world.
- Practice the pronunciations of Native, Indigenous, and Tribal Nations. There are many resources online to assist with this and often audio clips or videos with examples.