Territorial Land Acknowledgments

Why do we do land acknowledgments? Understanding whose land you are situated on is one way to decolonize your practice and approach. By acknowledging that we are all living on land that was unceded, meaning stolen, or not agreed upon through treaties, you can begin to understand your role and connection to the larger perspective of colonialism. As Theresa John says in a TRU News article, a significant connection exists between the land and Indigenous peoples. Acknowledging that the land in BC is unceded reminds us of the genocidal history and broken relationships between Indigenous peoples and Canada. 

The Secwepemc people occupy a vast territory of the interior of British Columbia which stretches from the Columbia River valley along the Rocky Mountains, west to the Fraser River, and south to the Arrow Lakes. Read more about Secwepemcúl’ecw at the Tk’emlups website.

According to WSANEC Leadership Council, “Territorial acknowledgments are statements that acknowledge the original owners of the lands that you live on. They can include a recognition of the traditional names of places, the languages that are spoken, and the Indigenous people who have lived on the lands since long before colonialism. They are primarily intended for settlers to become more aware of the unceded lands they occupy and the local Indigenous Nations that have been living on the lands since time immemorial.”

“Acknowledging the land and protecting its health is important in concrete and institutional spaces because it contextualizes the vibrance and complexities of the environment. It shows we are interconnected and interdependent on the health of the land. Respecting Indigenous traditions is important not only for the well-being of Indigenous people, but for everyone.”

–Theresa John, TRU Alumni, Dakelh (Carrier) and a member of the Lusilyoo (frog) Clan from the Northern Interior of BC. She was a juris doctorate candidate for 2020, a student storyteller and recently completed law school at TRU.

The current land acknowledgment at Thompson Rivers University recognizing that we live and work on unceded land of Secwepemcúl’ecw. You can hear the land acknowledgment read by Vernie Clement on TRU’s Indigenous Education main webpage and listen to the audio of the land acknowledgment.