Jack Kerouac near Tompkins Square, New York. Photograph by Allen Ginsberg.
Land Acknowledgment for the Wallingford, CT area
While there have been many acts of bravery, sacrifice, and altruism performed by friends, family, and strangers that have created the conditions for all of us to gather here today, we should recognize that there have also been acts of dispossession, violence, and injustice that have created the conditions for us to gather in this space. I would like to specifically acknowledge and respect the historical and current experiences of the Native communities who were the original inhabitants of this land.
The land where we gather now is the territory of the Quinnipiac, Wappinger, and Wangunk Peoples. They are the traditional owners of this land, and I pay my respect to the members of those nations, both past and present. Although I don't know the full history of Indigenous peoples in this area (including other nations/tribes who may have used this land prior to white European colonialism), and I can't speak to all the relocations and violence perpetrated by white male colonists in this area, I want to recognize the numerous relocations of the Quinnipiac and other local Indigenous people who became refugees as a result of the land dispossession, religious conversion, and genocide perpetrated by white colonists.
Acknowledgment by itself is a small gesture and is not, in and of itself, enough; it becomes more meaningful when coupled with authentic relationship and informed action. My hope is that this small gesture might engender some understanding and consciousness of the sovereignty, experiences, and cultural rights of Indigenous people.
Why is it important to practice land acknowledgments? Doing so...
- Takes a cue from Indigenous protocol by opening up shared space and events with reverence and respect;
- Offers recognition and respect;
- Counters the “doctrine of discovery” (the idea that the land was a blank slate for white settlers to colonize) by invoking the story of the people who were already here;
- Creates a broader public awareness of the history that has led to our current moment;
- Supports larger truth-telling and reconciliation efforts;
- Reminds non-indigenous identifying people that settler colonialism is an ongoing process, with Native lands still occupied because of deceptive and broken treaties;
- Instigates ongoing actions that work towards decolonization and creates the conditions for establishing better relations between settlers and indigenous communities.