Why The Land Acknowledgement Is Important

 Classroom Friendly Land Acknowledgement Video (English):

French:

Why The Land Acknowledgement is Important:


Remember, we are all treaty people, and saying the Land Acknowledgement at school everyday during the announcements is a small step that we can all take toward reconciliation. What steps will you take?

Have you had a conversation with your class about what they think the land acknowledgement means? It’s okay to not initially understand, but then it is time to do the work and talk about it and learn more. Do research to learn more about treaties and the relationships between settlers and the Indigenous Peoples of these lands. Learn alongside your students if you are unsure. We are all lifelong learners and it is a great opportunity to show your students that you are still learning.

Learn about the history of colonization in Canada. Learn about the Nations that call the land where you live or where your school is found their traditional territory.

Building relationships is a very important aspect of learning. Invite a visitor from a neighbouring First Nation into your school to share their knowledge and understandings. Go to a celebration on a First Nation near your home.

Support Indigenous Peoples when they are standing up for the rights of the land and water. Where we live and work and play is now shared space on Traditional territory. Take time to listen.

A great app to learn more about treaties and traditional territories is the “This Land is Our Land” app. Use it in your classroom when discussing the land acknowledgment. If you take a field trip to another city take the app with you and learn who calls that city their traditional territory. We are all treaty people and we all have the important responsibility of learning what this means.

If you are looking to deepen your own learning, I recommend the book, “Indigenous Writes” by Chelsea Vowel or “21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act” by Bob Joseph.