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If you’ve attended a local event recently, you may have heard a statement similar to this opening the event:
“I would like to acknowledge that we are on the
traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and
present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.”
Land
acknowledgements, like the one above, are
one way to show respect for the Indigenous people who have called this place
home since before colonizers arrived. These statements serve to return
Indigenous people to the public consciousness. However, land
acknowledgements run
the risk of becoming rote language, rattled off without a shared
understanding of the meaning behind the words.
These statements are just an incremental
step towards recognizing the impact of colonization on Indigenous
communities.
On January 22, 1855, near
what is now Mukilteo, Washington, the Treaty
of Point Elliott was signed, establishing a government-to-government
relationship between the United States and signatory tribes. Other treaties were
signed around the same time, establishing similar compacts in other
parts of Washington State. Recent
efforts to digitize 377 Native treaties, as well as related proclamations,
resolutions and relevant documents, make these important documents more
accessible to the general public.
Many
tribes throughout northwest Washington recognize Treaty
Day. Early events were an occasion
to gather together to revitalize
traditional practices. Today, tribes
commemorate the day by reflecting
and sharing with
their local communities about the ongoing impact of the treaties. Similar to land acknowledgements, Treaty Day
offers an opportunity to be reminded of the history of the land that we inhabit
and to gain a deeper understanding of the people who have resided on that land
since time immemorial.
More information about resources for American Indian / Alaska Native students in the UW community can be found here.
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