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Land Acknowledgment

Land Acknowledgment

Indigenize Indiana!

Indigenize Indiana is a call to action! Indigenization is promoting an active Native presence and engaging with contemporary Indigenous leadership and communities. It is amplifying the voices of Indigenous people and social movements. Indigenize Indiana reminds everyone of the ways they can help to improve representation of and support for Native and Indigenous communities at IU Bloomington. Acknowledging the traditional Native inhabitants of the land is an important first step in helping to support Native Americans at Indiana University and in helping to correct the colonial narrative that has resulted in the erasure of Native peoples across this country. As more offices and individuals acknowledge Native space, we hope that all of campus begins to think about the ways in which they can contribute to making our campus a more welcoming and inclusive environment for Native American faculty, staff, and students. Offering a land acknowledgment serves as a call to action for everyone at Indiana University. We encourage individuals, offices, and departments to engage with these words and use these statements in meaningful ways. A land acknowledgment statement should be used to educate and reflect a genuine commitment to equitable and inclusive behaviors, as well as systematic changes.

Acknowledging Native Space

The First Nations Educational & Cultural Center and the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs are proud to support Native students in their pursuit of community and success at Indiana University. One way that campus partners can help promote a welcoming and informed community is by offering a land acknowledgement statement as part of an official welcome at the beginning of public meetings, presentations, and gatherings.

While Indiana University has not adopted an official land acknowledgement statement as part of university policy, the First Nations Educational & Cultural Center has developed one with campus partners and in consultation with IU’s First Nations Leadership Ambassadors Council. In this case, the Treaty of St. Mary’s (1818) served as our guiding document. Our acknowledgement is continually revisited and revised, and serves as a statement of purpose to frame our programming and relationships with these Native communities. The statement is provided below using tribal names in both their Indigenous languages, as well as their Anglicized forms.

Indigenous Name

We wish to acknowledge and honor the Indigenous communities native to this region, and recognize that Indiana University Bloomington is built on Indigenous homelands and resources. We recognize the myaamiaki, Lënape, Bodwéwadmik, and saawanwa people as past, present, and future caretakers of this land.

We are dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voice & perspective, improving community relationships, correcting the narrative, and making the IUB campus a more supportive and inclusive place for Native and Indigenous students, faculty & staff. We encourage everyone to engage with contemporary communities, to learn the histories of this land, to look at who has and does not have access to its resources, and to examine your own place, abilities, and obligations within this process of reparative work that is necessary to promote a more equitable and socially just Indiana University Bloomington.

A shorter version of this statement can also be used:

We wish to acknowledge and honor the myaamiaki, Lënape, Bodwéwadmik, and saawanwa people, on whose ancestral homelands and resources Indiana University Bloomington is built.

Pronunciation

myaamiaki
Lënape
Bodwéwadmik
saawanwa

Anglicized Form

We wish to acknowledge and honor the Indigenous communities native to this region, and recognize that Indiana University Bloomington is built on Indigenous homelands and resources. We recognize the Miami, Delaware, Potawatomi, and Shawnee people as past, present, and future caretakers of this land.

We are dedicated to amplifying Indigenous voice & perspective, improving community relationships, correcting the narrative, and making the IUB campus a more supportive and inclusive place for Native and Indigenous students, faculty & staff. We encourage everyone to engage with contemporary communities, to learn the histories of this land, to look at who has and does not have access to its resources, and to examine your own place, abilities, and obligations within this process of reparative work that is necessary to promote a more equitable and socially just Indiana University Bloomington.

A shorter version of this statement can also be used:

We wish to acknowledge and honor the Miami, Delaware, Potawatomi, and Shawnee people, on whose ancestral homelands and resources Indiana University Bloomington is built.

Pronunciation

Miami
Delaware
Potawatomi
Shawnee

We would like to thank those who contributed voice recordings to this project:

Dr. Scott Shoemaker, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma - Thomas G. & Susan C. Hoback Curator of Native American Art, History, & Culture at the Eiteljorg Museum
Carla Collins, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi - Language Specialist, Pokagon Potawatomi Department of Language and Culture
Jim Rementer - Director, Lenape Language Project
Joel Barnes, Shawnee Tribe - Shawnee Tribe Culture and Language Director

Indigenize Indiana Downloads

Please help to Indigenize Indiana by downloading, sharing, and posting these signs and logos. Hang them in your office or dorm, use the signs and logos in your powerpoint presentations, share them to help continue this conversation.

Land Acknowledgment Signs

Indigenize Indiana Logos

Full Color

Black

Crimson

White

Resources

The First Nations Center has worked with many offices and individuals across campus as they have developed their own land acknowledgment. Acknowledging Native space and histories, and connecting with Native communities is something best done when it reflects one’s own values, intentions, and understandings. We are happy to meet and discuss this further, as well as connect anyone with information or resources.

It is important to remember that the best source when looking for information regarding Native communities is the communities, themselves. Please take the time to review these tribal websites, learn about these Native communities, and look for ways that you can help contribute to the work that is being done.

Tribes and Tribal Links

Delaware

Delaware Nation (OK)
Delaware Tribe of Indians (OK)

Miami

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma (OK)

Potawatomi

Citizen Potawatomi Nation (OK)
Forest County Potawatomi (WI)
Gun Lake Tribe (MI)
Hannahville Indian Community (MI)
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi (MI)
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi (IN & MI)
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (KS)

Shawnee

Downloadable Land Acknowledgment Backgrounds

Downloadable Land Acknowledgment Backgrounds are available for use as a backdrop to video conferences, meetings, classes, and on social media.

Indigenization Resources

University Affairs Magazine

100 Ways to Indigenize and Decolonize Academic Programs and Courses

University of Regina

Indigenizing the academy: What some universities are doing to weave indigenous peoples, cultures and knowledge into the fabric of their campuses

Land Acknowledgment Resources

U.S. Department of Arts and Culture

Honor Native Land: A Guide and Call to Acknowledgment

Native Land (digital)

This interactive map offers users an introduction to indigenous territories and languages around the world, as well as treaties effecting these tribal nations. https://native-land.ca/

Guide to Indigenous Land and Territorial Acknowledgments for Cultural Institutions