Land Acknowledgement by Dan Weil, CPCC

With gratitude and the humbleness that comes from a place of learning, I wish to thank and share the many resources that have helped guide me toward developing this Land Acknowledgement, including the Rochester Area Community Foundation, Great Camp Sagamore, ArtsMidwest, the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and others.

I acknowledge that I live and work on the ancestral lands of the Haudenosaunee (hoe-din-oh-SHOW-nee) People—a Confederacy of Nations that includes the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, the Tuscarora, and many others who have called this place home. I recognize that these lands were taken through broken treaties, coercion, and outright theft. The effects of colonization and dispossession continue to impact the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples, contribute to environmental degradation, and cause disconnection.

I am deeply grateful to the Indigenous people and communities who have stewarded the land for generations and continue to do so today. Indigenous culture, art, agriculture, language, governance, and other forms of wisdom and knowledge are invaluable to our society. Haudenosaunee values, culture, and thought are celebrated locally at places like Ganondagan State Historic Site. Ganondagan is a place of peace and learning, where community leaders and knowledge keepers share the Haudenosaunee way of life, both past and present. I believe the multidimensional story of Indigenous peoples is living and ongoing, and I commit to supporting the continued creation and telling of this story. I encourage you to learn more and support Indigenous communities in our area.

A GUIDE TO INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I understand that land acknowledgements are a tool to bring to light the patterns of colonization, land theft, and racism that continue to harm Indigenous people. But it is not enough to simply state this; it must also be backed up by real action and investment. I am committed to increasing my impact in support of racial diversity, equity, and inclusion, and recognize there is always more work to do. I seek to use my platform to create visibility for these critical conversations and welcome feedback on how to make land acknowledgements more responsible and impactful.

This Land Acknowledgement, and the helpful guide I found through the Rochester Area Community Foundation is valuable in deepening my understanding of land acknowledgements: https://nativegov.org/news/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/