As part of a journey towards truth and as an act for reconciliation the Eastern Townships School Board felt it was important to acknowledge the lands and waters of the Abenaki Nation on which we learn, work, gather, and play.

A committee of engaged participants representing as many perspectives as possible from all areas of our community worked together to create a land acknowledgement we hope will carry meaning and have impact. We kept in mind potential criticisms of this practice- many Indigenous people and settlers view land acknowledgements as empty talk and worry about them being read as a “box to be ticked”.  We actively worked against this possibility through developing an acknowledgement we feel encourages recognition, thoughtful reflection, and action. 

The committee met four times and, during those days, built an understanding of what an impactful land acknowledgment might include. Our work incorporated research on other institutions’ land acknowledgements and the territory our school board is situated on, as well as guides produced by indigenous entities. We spent our days in discussion and reflection, consolidating what a land acknowledgement meant to us as individuals and how to bring an impactful statement to our community at large. 

The land acknowledgement represents part of a larger, ongoing effort to bring resources, speakers, and professional development to our school board community in order to continue a necessary and important process of recognizing the truth of both the past and present, and increasing our knowledge and capacity to bring this knowledge to our students. We hope this land acknowledgement is the beginning of an ongoing dialogue and that it fosters a meaningful and respectful relationship with the Abenaki community, Indigenous communities at large, and all of our collaborative partners.

Our committee: Daniel Aucoin (elementary teacher), Natasha Beaudoin (secondary teacher), Johanna Bisson (assistant director of continuing education), Emmanuelle Gaudet (director of complimentary services), Tracey Harding (administrator), Sigal Hirshfeld (elementary teacher), Shawna Jerome (coordinator of Indigenous student support services at Bishop’s University), Stephanie McCully (pedagogical consultant), Marina McKenna (pedagogical consultant), Courtney Morrison (school board librarian) and Judith Munger (school librarian),

• The opening sentence provides information about the territory our school board is located on. It is a way for us to display our gratitude for the land and acknowledge the Abenaki people who were here before us and are still here today. 

• This sentence also demonstrates that the stewardship of the area extends beyond the land to each and every waterway found on the extensive territory of the ETSB. Adding waterways was important because many of our schools are situated near water and many activities in the Townships are deeply connected to the lakes, rivers, and streams.

• The symbol “8” is one of the oldest Indigenous linguistic forms, expressing a nasal “o”, which is pronounced “on”. We chose to use the spelling of “W8banaki” that the Abanaki people would use. 

* We made a conscious decision to not use the word “unceded” as this implies ownership of the land, no one can really “own” the land according to Indigenous ways of knowing and seeing.

• This sentence represents that we honor and value the knowledge and ways of doing of the Abenaki people without appropriating it. It is our way of acknowledging the ways knowledge is viewed and passed down in the Abenaki culture. 

• This line represents action and our commitment to learning more. 

• This line reflects action. A meaningful land acknowledgement needs to be more than just a recognition of territory. Part of the action we are committing to is learning about and building relationships with the Abenaki. 

• This sentence was chosen to acknowledge and commit to improving our relationship with the Land as well as its traditional caretakers. 

• Recognition and respect are essential elements of establishing healthy, reciprocal relationships.

• We chose the phrase “legacies of colonialism” because the effects of colonialism are ongoing. Our current education system reflects settler values and beliefs and we need to work actively to incorporate diverse perspectives. 

• To just acknowledge the territory before events, meetings, conferences, etc. is not enough. A commitment to action at the end of the acknowledgement reflects our willingness to work for change. 

• This sentence is also a response and commitment to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s Call to Action #63.3.

• We intentionally used the word compassion which reflects both understanding & awareness and the desire for action. 

• We chose this line to specifically recognize the role education played in harming Indigenous peoples. As a School Board, we are part of a greater education system that actively worked to harm Indigenous children, perpetuating genocide. Residential schools were in existence from the 1880s into the closing decades of the 20th century, and we acknowledge the continuing trauma this system caused. 

• We chose the phrase “systematic erasure” to not shy away from hard truths. 

• Acknowledging our system’s contributions to the erasure of Indigenous peoples and culture is a first step towards honouring and inviting the truth.

• Quote from Jo Chrona's blog post entitled The Power of Tension and Hope: "We learn about the devastation of colonization, and we recognize the difference between knowing about, and understanding. We learn about racism of the past and how it manifests itself in the present, and we enter that harder place of learning about our current complicity in perpetuating it. This is not about guilt or recrimination. This is about taking responsibility for what we do now."

A Land acknowledgement is a contextualized, authentic and meaningful statement, which should be delivered with integrity and sincerity. It can be read aloud/stated by anyone that has a connection with the purpose of the event. The Acknowledgement is designed to assist people that do not identify as Indigenous to situate themselves within an Indigenous place/territory.

The acknowledgement does not have to be the very first thing that is said. In whichever context you are delivering the acknowledgment, make sure to welcome your guests first and allow the L.A. to flow naturally afterward. Do not deliver a land acknowledgment in a way that is performative, instead work to incorporate it in a meaningful way. Short or long, a Land acknowledgement should be heartfelt, including some of your own words (see tips on how to contextualize your L.A. on the resource page).

Before delivering a Land acknowledgement, the speaker should become familiar with the text. They should particularly learn and practice the proper pronunciation of any Indigenous names, terms and/or words.

Best practices when it comes to making a land acknowledgement must evolve over time through relationship building, listening and learning, and a commitment to deeper engagement. It will take time to grow comfortable and confident in this practice but it will get easier. 

Land acknowledgements should be made during main events, ceremonies, activities, and gatherings, where opening remarks or a speech will be delivered in front of an audience. They can also be made during smaller gatherings, whether in person or virtually.