Introduction

Thank you for continuing to work towards building an anti-colonial educational psychology. You have examined instructor-specific statements in course syllabi using an anti-colonial lens. We now turn our attention to institution-specific statements. In this next section, we will examine institution-specific land acknowledgment statements, reflecting on their history and intended purpose. It is essential to reflect upon the physical land on which we stand. Many institutions were built upon land stolen from Indigenous Peoples and communities. Land acknowledgment statements are a way to respect and honor these communities and their unique and enduring connections to the land from which they were forcibly removed. These statements are increasingly being utilized within syllabi at the institutional level, although they are not without controversy. Let’s examine land acknowledgment statements and consider how we might utilize them to encourage anti-colonial action.

Learning Goals

1. Assess the use of land acknowledgment statements, identifying the potential benefits and harms.
2. Identify the land upon which your institution occupies.
3. Critically examine land acknowledgement statements and identify strategies to address the unjust occupation of land and removal of Indigenous People in your syllabi.
4. Revise or create your own land acknowledgment statement.

Read

Estimated Time: 15-20 minutes

Objective 1: Assess the use of land acknowledgment statements and identify the potential benefits and harms.

We will begin this section by exploring why institutions have considered using land acknowledgment statements, the potential benefits and harms of such statements, and sample land acknowledgment statements. Prior to beginning, take a moment to reflect on your identity and positionality map from Day 1. What is it that makes you you? Why might you consider writing a land acknowledgment statement? While some samples and considerations have been provided, there is no how-to manual or template for creating a land acknowledgment statement. This process begins with self-reflection and is meant to be vibrant and action-based rather than static.

1. First, review Tuck & Yang’s (2012) Decolonization is Not a Metaphor. Although you may have read this article prior to the Syllabus Challenge, we encourage you to take a moment to revisit your notes on this foundational work. This article provides an excellent background as it describes the forceful removal of land from Indigenous Peoples as central to the definition of colonialism, differentiates between decolonial and anti-colonial work, and reinforces the idea that we must take actual action to disassemble colonial structures and systems of power and privilege.

2. Read How well-meaning land acknowledgment statements can erase Indigenous people and sanitize history. In this short article, Sobo and colleagues discuss the risks of using land acknowledgment statements without careful reflection.

3. Review Sheridan College’s Land Acknowledgement Guide. In this web-based land acknowledgement guide, Sheridan College shows the active and ongoing work involved in creating meaningful land acknowledgement statements.

4. Watch In land acknowledgements, many tribal leaders hear empty words. In this 8-minute video, hear how Indigenous People describe land acknowledgement statements and why it is essential that these statements involve action.

Example Land Acknowledgement Statements

Now that we’ve learned about the potential benefits and harms of land acknowledgment statements, let’s look at a few examples.

1. Here is one example of a Midwestern university’s land acknowledgment statement:

Land Acknowledgement Statement (University): We acknowledge and honor the numerous and vibrant Indigenous communities with homelands in what is now the State of Indiana, particularly the Myaamiaki (Miami) and Lenape (Delaware) peoples. Colonization has inflicted harm and continues to impact the Indigenous inhabitants of these lands. For a land acknowledgment statement to be meaningful, it must be coupled with action. We are dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voices and perspectives, establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships, engaging and presenting a full narrative of our histories, and making the University campus a more supportive and inclusive place for Native and Indigenous students, faculty, and staff. We encourage everyone to engage with contemporary communities, to learn the complex histories of this land, to look at who has and does not have access to its resources, and to examine your own obligations within this reparative work. Acknowledging the impact of colonization on Indigenous communities and an institutional commitment to support decolonial work is key to realizing the University’s commitment to inclusive excellence.

2. Although land acknowledgment statements are often written, they can be expressed in different ways. Here is an example of a video-based land acknowledgment statement:

Land Acknowledgement Statement (University of Utah): VIDEO

Reflect 

Estimated Time: 5 minutes

Open the Padlet linked here.

Consider the readings and sample land acknowledgment statements you reviewed. Make note of the potential benefits and harms of these statements. These do not need to be long statements…a few sentences, phrases, or words are fine.

Deconstruct 

Estimated Time: 10 minutes

Objective 2: Identify the land upon which your institution resides. 

Use the Native Land Digital Indigenous Lands mapping tool to explore the traditional Indigenous communities that once occupied the land that you are on. Then spend some time learning about the Indigenous communities that historically occupied this land. You can either use the links provided on the digital mapping tool or, once you identified the Indigenous community, independently search for information about their community.

Open the Padlet linked here.

Document the Indigenous People that occupied the land on which your institution resides. Please make note of what you learned about the Indigenous community. Phrases and short sentences are fine!

Objective 3: Critically examine land acknowledgement statements and identify strategies to address the unjust occupation of land and removal of Indigenous People in your syllabi. differs from objective 3 listed in the introduction on Day 3.

Part of deconstructing existing systems of power and privilege is actively identifying strategies that acknowledge the unjust occupation of land and the removal of Indigenous voices from our syllabi. 

Open the Padlet here.

Consider these guiding questions and document your answers.. Phrases and words are fine!

1. Is your institution’s current land acknowledgment statement inclusive of the information we have read and researched? If yes, describe how it is inclusive. If not, please describe what is missing.
2. What additional information might we include in our statements, syllabi, and courses to acknowledge Indigenous communities and the unjust occupation of land?
3. How might we elevate Indigenous voices within the land of our syllabi?
4. How can we work towards creating space in our syllabi and courses for Indigenous communities?

Rebuild

Estimated Time: 30-60 minutes

Objective 4: Revise or create your own land acknowledgment statement.

One strategy for building an anti-colonial educational psychology syllabus is utilizing land acknowledgment statements to actively encourage action that dismantles existing colonial structures and paradigms. Now that we have deconstructed some of the colonial structures and paradigms, we can work to rebuild our land acknowledgment statements with an anti-colonial lens. 

Please think about your answers to the above guiding questions, as well as the readings, sample statements, and the rich and varied backgrounds of the Indigenous communities you researched. Consider how colonialism has impacted and continues to impact Indigenous communities and education. Then, choose one (or more!) of the options below to showcase your work:

Option 1: Revise your institution’s land acknowledgment statement (or an example from above) to make it vibrant and action-oriented. Be sure to document your original statement and revised statement (feel free to remove identifying information).

Option 2: Create a land acknowledgment statement.

Option 3: Create a Google slide or PowerPoint slide that depicts your evolving understanding of land acknowledgment statements. Include some strategies that we, as educational psychologists, can use to acknowledge this unjust occupation of Indigenous land, communicate respect for the Indigenous communities that occupied the land of our institutions, and convey action to dismantle colonialism in education. 

While these are individual projects, please consider sharing your document with your host as an email attachment at the following email address:  apadiv15syllabuschallenge@gmail.com

Conclusion

Throughout Day 4 we have considered the use of land acknowledgement statements and their intended purpose while reviewing foundational work in the field. We have listened to Indigenous voices and viewed examples of ways that we might respect, honor and elevate those voices within the landscape of our educational psychology syllabi. In creating a land acknowledgement statement as an exercise in this course, we examined our previous work on positionality. This reflection is integral to anti-colonial and anti-racist work.

References:

Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, education & society, 1(1), 1-40.

Thank you for completing Day 4 of the Syllabus Challenge!