Land Acknowledgement
Land Acknowledgement
Embedded Files
The class this resource was developed took place on in which this resource was developed took place on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Nation. The xʷməθkʷəy̓əm peoples have been and continue to be the caretakers and stewards of the lands for generations. They have been fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering on this land sustainably and remain deeply connected with the land and the water. Their community have great resilience despite the catastrophic effects of colonial violence – genocide, ethnic cleasing, land theft, residential schools, forced removal and relocations. Unceded means never surrendered or given up to the crown. Unceded means stolen. As a class made of uninvited migrant guests who all have their own unique experiences and family histories of being impacted by colonialism, we support the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples over their own lands.
The class this resource was developed took place on in which this resource was developed took place on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Nation. The xʷməθkʷəy̓əm peoples have been and continue to be the caretakers and stewards of the lands for generations. They have been fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering on this land sustainably and remain deeply connected with the land and the water. Their community have great resilience despite the catastrophic effects of colonial violence – genocide, ethnic cleasing, land theft, residential schools, forced removal and relocations. Unceded means never surrendered or given up to the crown. Unceded means stolen. As a class made of uninvited migrant guests who all have their own unique experiences and family histories of being impacted by colonialism, we support the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples over their own lands.
我们的课堂在使用哈尔魁梅林语（hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓）的玛斯昆族（xʷməθkʷəy̓əm）传统、祖传且未被割让的领地上进行。玛斯昆族世代以来一直是这片土地的守护者和管理者。他们在这片土地上以捕鱼、狩猎、捕捉和采集为生，并始终与土地和水保持深厚的联系。尽管经历了殖民暴力的灾难性影响——种族灭绝、种族清洗、土地被掠夺、寄宿学校、强制迁移和重新安置——他们的社区仍然展现了巨大的韧性。“未割让”意味着从未向英国王室投降或交出土地。“未割让”意味着这片土地是被偷走的。作为一个由未经邀请的移民组成的班级，我们每个人都带着自己家族独特的经历和因殖民主义而受影响的历史来到这里。我们支持原住民对他们自己土地的主权。
Resources
From Land Acknowledgment to Action
From Land Acknowledgment to Action
Giving a land acknowledgement is a first step in understanding whose lands we are on. However, the threat of sharing empty words with little action persists, as land acknowledgements become standard practice in everyday settings such as academia. For example, a land acknowledgment might be short and lackluster, as it does not “require” you to understand the histories and current circumstances of Host Nations, or understand the nuances of Land relationships. It does not require people to actively commit to solidarity, rather, a land acknowledgement only functions as a preliminary gesture to recognize the land we occupy.
As Asian Canadians living on Indigenous lands, we have an opportunity to partner and uplift decolonial movements such as Land Back, Indigenous food sovereignty, language preservation, and more. We also have the chance to decolonize understandings of our own cultures, which are likely impacted by colonial legacies. There is power in learning from our past and shaping our future through decolonization, working to dismantle colonialism in all the forms ranging from everyday contexts to historically oppressive systems. Decolonization looks and feels different for everyone and we call for you to decolonize your practice in solidarity with Indigenous peoples in your area, including Host Nations and Urban Indigenous.
Reflection Questions
Reflection Questions
How can I support or stand in solidarity with Indigenous sovereignty movements such as Land Back, food sovereignty, MMIWG2S (Missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people), and language preservation?
How am I connected to colonialism? What can I learn from decolonization? Can I bring these elements into my research in a good, meaningful way?
See Solidarity or Sovereignty section for more nuanced conversations about decolonization.
Resources
Introducing the Co-Writers
Introducing the Co-Writers
This resource was co-created by a group of students in “ACAM 320J Asian Canadian Community Organizing (Community Engaged Research)”, a course offered by the Asian Canadian & Asian Migration (ACAM) Studies program at the University of British Columbia.
The students in this course are Asian migrants and/or their descendants, and most of us ended up here partly, if not entirely, due to the impacts of colonialism. Asian identity is not monolithic; we come from diverse backgrounds and have different interlocking identities that shape our experiences.
Some of us came here as first or 1.5-generation migrants, while some of us were born here with parents or grandparents who migrated. Some of us are queer, some of us are trans, some of us are disabled. We come from different social classes, and we all bring with us rich, vibrant, and unique cultures. We also recognize our privileges as students and scholars. Being in academia at prestigious institutions like UBC is a privilege not afforded to many.
Our positionality within this institution and the need to follow institutional rules influence how we are able to see things despite our best intentions. We are committed to both learning and unlearning as we carry out community engaged projects, challenging our own biases and learning from and alongside the community.
Alongside having intersectional identities, the writers of this resource are students from diverse academic backgrounds and degree levels, united by our common interest in Asian Canadian studies. As an interdisciplinary course, students brought varied understandings of course material, distinct skill sets, and unique experiences with Asian Canadian studies.
Through studying Community Engaged Research methodology, questions arose: How can we support diverse communities with complex experiences of migration? How can we involve Asian research participants in dignified and consensual ways? Why is it so challenging to do research with Asian Canadians, especially within our own communities?
These discussions explored the key considerations involved in researching with and for Asian Canadian communities. This led the class to compile a list of topics that speak to this ongoing conversation. Weeks of deliberation, learning, and effort have culminated in the resource before you. We invite you to join us in our learning journey and explore the resource in a way that resonates with you.
Context & Overview of Community Engaged Research (CER) in Asian Canadian Studies (ACS)
Context & Overview of Community Engaged Research (CER) in Asian Canadian Studies (ACS)
What is CER? Community Engaged Research (CER) is a participatory research approach focused on collaboration between researchers and communities to create and share knowledge through centering community needs.
Why CER in ACS? CER aligns with ACS’ goals by:
Addressing power dynamics and marginalization within academia and society.
Supporting ACS’s mission for social justice, equity, and collaboration.
Promoting community-centered outcomes as well as long-lasting and sustainable relationships with Asian communities.
CER Principles for Ethical Research
Harm and Risk Reduction: Identifying and then minimizing potential harm to communities, ensuring accountability processes.
Community Participation: Involvement of community members at all project stages, with compensated contributions.
Community Benefit: Prioritizing tangible benefits and capacity-building for the community.
Power Redistribution: Actively addressing and balancing power inequalities.
Confidentiality and Privacy: Ensuring safe handling of sensitive information, respecting participants’ choices around anonymity.
Purpose of this Guide
This guide serves as a roadmap for ethical CER, aiming to:
Promote ethical research that respects community autonomy and contributions.
Foster collaboration and empowerment between researchers and communities.
Address harms from past research and promote ongoing dialogues.
Key Concepts to Consider in CER
To align our approach, we have chosen seven principles central to ethical Community Engaged Research (CER): reciprocity, positionality, accountability, accessibility, solidarity, sustainability, and sovereignty. Each was selected carefully to address recurring issues in CER, especially the risk of these terms being co-opted as mere “buzzwords.” Our aim is to ground these terms in genuine practice, ensuring they go beyond rhetoric and meaningfully guide our work.
Why These Principles? (If accessible, write a translation of each word in your mother tongue!)
Reciprocity / __________ : Encourages mutual exchange, ensuring that community contributions are valued and reciprocated.
Positionality / __________: Emphasizes researchers’ awareness of their own backgrounds and biases to foster respect and transparency.
Accountability / __________: Stresses the need for researchers to be answerable to the community’s interests and welfare.
Accessibility / __________: Focuses on removing barriers that may prevent community involvement, making research more inclusive.
Solidarity / __________: Centers the project on supporting community goals and resisting exploitation.
Sustainability / __________: Aims for long-lasting, positive impacts beyond the study period.
Sovereignty / __________: Respects community autonomy, giving them control over how knowledge about them is created and used.
Audience: This guide is for university and community-based researchers, community organizations, policymakers, advocacy groups, community members, students, educators, and grant funders engaged in CER.
Seven Principles
Click on the Definitions below to learn more about each section. Please note that the definitions are in no particular order and are equally important for CER
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