Jan. 2021 - The Territorial Acknowledgement - a Foundational Act of Reconciliation
As someone who chairs and/or leads business meetings on a regular basis, I have been encouraged and challenged to begin meetings with a First Nations Territorial Acknowledgement. It’s been a fascinating, earnest & unexpected journey of self-awareness and personal reconciliation. I have sought guidance and understanding from regional First Nations leaders and have recorded these discussions via podcasts (https://www.northernconversations.com/) to help broaden the dialogue & conversation amongst business community colleagues.
The process of understanding and generating a Territorial Acknowledgement script started with asking myself many questions. Why should a meeting start with a Territorial Acknowledgement? What should I say? Should I adapt the Territorial Acknowledgement to a digital, ZOOM based meeting environment? After conversations (recorded as podcasts) with regional First Nations leaders speaking to the origins, meaning and interpretations of the Territorial Acknowledgement, I was able to answer those initial questions and have summarized excerpts from those conversations in this article. The podcast conversations were held with Mavis Underwood, teacher, elder, advocate, spiritual leader and community representative from the Peninsula based Tsawout Nation, Christina Clarke, CEO of the Songhees Development Corporation and Adam Olsen, MLA Saanich North & the Islands & member of the Tsartlip Nation in Brentwood Bay (direct quotes italicized).
So what exactly are we acknowledging in the Territorial Acknowledgement statement?
We acknowledge the territories of the Indigenous people. The “Territorial Acknowledgement is a political statement encouraging primarily non-Indigenous people to recognize that they’re on Indigenous land and hopefully do something about it – (Hayden King, an Anishinaabe writer, educator and academic).” The Territorial Acknowledgement is collectively considered the first real act of reconciliation and sends a message to Indigenous people that there will be a different approach than what we’ve done in the past. “There are still serious land questions that have yet to be settled. The territory and lands that we are on are not as sorted out as we assumed that they were at this point in time – (Adam Olsen).”
We are acknowledging history. A history that is fraught with dis-trust, racism and indifference. The reconciliation journey has been a conflict based and strife ridden process that only within the last several years has demonstrated signs of healing and improvement. For decades Caucasian based communities have generally been indifferent and uninformed to Indigenous culture and communities. That broken societal relationship of the past is gradually evolving to one of reconciliation and understanding. The Territorial Acknowledgement statement gives consideration to this historical injustice by engaging in an accountability process that endeavours toward meaningful reconciliation.
We are acknowledging wrongful behaviour. Oppression, bullying and disinformation must be acknowledged and confronted. It is difficult and challenging for First Nations young people to deal with these negative attributes and stereotypes. They need support and encouragement from family, community members and leaders to mitigate the negativity. The spirit and intent of the Territorial Acknowledgement implies collective community support and encouragement and helps to buffer the negativity.
We acknowledge the Indigenous communities cultural, spiritual and physical connections to the land. By engaging in a respectful and reflective Territorial Acknowledgement, “one is acknowledging the First Nations relationship to the land, one which is also economic, social and spiritual – (Christina Clarke).” The relationship to the land has formed an integral component to First Nations culture and how they lived. The land provided food, medicine and spiritual health. The community relationship to the land provided a “strength of purpose for our people. We don’t need to rely on institutions to stay healthy and prosper. There are many things that we can do on our own – (Mavis Underwood).”
We acknowledge the presence and respect of First Nations ancestral stewardship of the land, water and culture.
Often we ask ourselves “what should I say and how should I say it?”. Christina and I chatted specifically about these questions and accompanying anxiety during our podcast chat (https://www.northernconversations.com/e/a-conversation-with-songhees-development-corporation-ceo-christina-clarke-about-the-pre-meeting-territorial-acknowledgement/).
I am involved with a provincial and federal government funded Labour Market Partnership to collaborate with Lower Vancouver Island businesses, community organizations, and First Nation communities to implement a set of strategies that will increase the participation of First Nation peoples in the local workforce. These strategies are intended to address high unemployment levels experienced by First Nations band members and the skilled and unskilled worker shortages of local companies and improve workforce diversity. Building trust, relationships, cultural understanding & awareness is an important step in addressing the on-going high unemployment issues faced by First Nations communities and the skill shortage issues experienced by local businesses. Understanding the origins, reasons and context of the Territorial Acknowledgement is an essential component towards reaching this goal.
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Email: john@harbourdigitalmedia.com