Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples Traditional Territory

Guide to

Acknowledging First Peoples

& Traditional Territory

September 2017

CAUT Guide to Acknowledging

First Peoples & Traditional Territory

September 2017

The following document offers the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT)

recommended territorial acknowledgement for institutions where our members work,

organized by province. While most of these campuses are included, the list will

gradually become more complete as we learn more about specific traditional territories.

When requested, we have also included acknowledgements for other post-secondary

institutions as well.

We wish to emphasize that this is a guide, not a script. We are recommending the

acknowledgements that have been developed by local university-based Indigenous

councils or advisory groups, where possible. In other places, where there are multiple

territorial acknowledgements that exist for one area or the acknowledgements are

contested, the multiple acknowledgements are provided. This is an evolving, working

guide.

? 2016 Canadian Association of University Teachers

2705 Queensview Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K2B 8K2 \\ 613-820-2270 \\ caut.ca

Cover photo: ¡°Infinity¡± ? Christi Belcourt

CAUT Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples and Traditional Territory

September 2017

Contents

1| How to use this guide

Our process

2| Acknowledgement statements

Newfoundland and Labrador

Prince Edward Island

Nova Scotia

New Brunswick

Qu¨¦bec

Ontario

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Alberta

British Columbia

Canadian Association of University Teachers

3

CAUT Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples and Traditional Territory

September 2017

1| How to use this guide

The goal of this guide is to encourage all academic staff

association representatives and members to acknowledge

the First Peoples on whose traditional territories we live

and work. This acknowledgement appropriately takes

place at the commencement of courses, meetings or

conferences, and presentations (given either at one¡¯s

home institution or elsewhere).

Acknowledging territory shows recognition of and

respect for Aboriginal Peoples. It is recognition of their

presence both in the past and the present. Recognition

and respect are essential elements of establishing healthy,

reciprocal relations. These relationships are key to

reconciliation, a process to which CAUT is committed.

While acknowledging territory is very welcome, it is

only a small part of cultivating strong relationships with

the First Peoples of Canada. Acknowledging territory

and First Peoples should take place within the larger

context of genuine and ongoing work to forge real

understanding, and to challenge the legacies of

colonialism. Territorial acknowledgements should not

simply be a pro forma statement made before getting on

with the ¡°real business¡± of the meeting; they must be

understood as a vital part of the business.1

CAUT strongly encourages academic staff associations to

reach out to local Indigenous communities to open

pathways for dialogue, specifically to discuss the wording

of the acknowledgement. This is important to ensure

that it is both respectful and representative, as

acknowledgments sometimes change, or specific

communities are given prominence depending on the

context or the audience in attendance. Also, given that

there is no single standard orthography for traditional

Indigenous names, this can be an opportunity to ensure

correct pronunciation of Indigenous community or

nation names.

The recognition of M¨¦tis presence and nationhood is

also essential. While the M¨¦tis are acknowledged in

some of the territorial acknowledgements listed below,

this aspect of the Guide needs to be developed. We

therefore ask that, in consultation with local M¨¦tis

associations, you include acknowledgement of M¨¦tis

People where appropriate.

Our process

This document has been reviewed by CAUT¡¯s

Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education Working Group

and much effort has been made to ensure that it is

accurate. We would also like to thank the many

members of CAUT¡¯s listserv for Aboriginal Academic

Staff who have provided generous and valuable feedback

in the development of this guide.

Many of the acknowledgements have been developed

solely through consulting written documents, such as

treaty maps and texts. Community consultation remains

essential. We would very much appreciate suggested

edits. Please contact CAUT with any suggested changes

or additions.

¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

1. For more about what meaningfully acknowledging

First Peoples entails, please take a look at the following

article:

.

Canadian Association of University Teachers

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CAUT Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples and Traditional Territory

September 2017

2| Acknowledgement statements

Newfoundland and Labrador

Prince Edward Island

Memorial University of Newfoundland

(St. John¡¯s)

University of Prince Edward Island

(Charlottetown)

1/

I [we] would like to respectfully acknowledge the

territory in which we gather, as the ancestral unceded

homelands of the Beothuk and the island of

Newfoundland as the ancestral unceded homelands of

the Mi¡¯kmaq and Beothuk.

We [I] would like to begin by acknowledging that the

land on which we gather is the traditional and unceded

territory of the Abegweit Mi¡¯kmaq First Nation.

2/

I [we] would like to respectfully acknowledge the

territory in which we gather, as the ancestral home-lands

of the Beothuk and the island of Newfoundland as the

ancestral homelands of the Mi¡¯kmaq and Beothuk. I (we)

would also like to recognize the Inuit of Nunatsiavut and

NunatuKavut and the Innu of Nitassinan, and their

ancestors, as the original people of Labrador. We strive

for respectful partnerships with all the peoples of this

province as we search for collective healing and true

reconciliation and honour this beautiful land together.

Acadia University (Wolfville)

¡ª Acknowledgement provided by Office of Aboriginal Affairs,

Memorial University

Nova Scotia

We [I] would like to begin by acknowledging that we

are in Mi¡¯kma¡¯ki , the ancestral and unceded territory of

the Mi¡¯kmaq People. This territory is covered by the

¡°Treaties of Peace and Friendship¡± which Mi¡¯kmaq and

Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) People first signed with the

British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with

surrender of lands and resources but in fact recognized

Mi¡¯kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) title and

established the rules for what was to be an ongoing

relationship between nations.

Atlantic School of Theology (Halifax)

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Grenfell Campus (Corner Brook)

1/

I [we] would like to respectfully acknowledge that the

land on which we gather is in traditional unceded

Mi¡¯kmaw territory.

2/

I [we] would like to respectfully acknowledge that the

land on which we gather is in traditional Mi¡¯kmaw

territory, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse

histories and cultures of all the Mi¡¯kmaw, Innu, and Inuit

Peoples of this province.

We [I] would like to begin by acknowledging that we

are in Mi¡¯kma¡¯ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of

the Mi¡¯kmaq People. This territory is covered by the

¡°Treaties of Peace and Friendship¡± which Mi¡¯kmaq and

Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) people first signed with the

British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with

surrender of lands and resources but in fact recognized

Mi¡¯kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) title and

established the rules for what was to be an ongoing

relationship between nations.

¡ª Acknowledgement provided by Office of Aboriginal Affairs,

Memorial University

Canadian Association of University Teachers

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