What is a Land Acknowledgment?

A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.

Why do we recognize the land?

To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history.

Land acknowledgments do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.

AAS2023 Land Acknowledgment

The Association for Asian Studies acknowledges the land on which we will gather is the territory of the Massachusett, Pawtucket, and their neighbors the Abenaki, Micmac, Maliseet, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pennacook, Penobscot, and Wampanoag Peoples, who have stewarded this land for hundreds of generations.

We recognize the repeated violations of sovereignty, territory, and water perpetrated by invaders that have impacted the original inhabitants of this land for 400 years. We extend our respect to citizens of these Nations who live there today, and their ancestors who have lived there for over five hundred generations, and to all Indigenous people. We also affirm that this acknowledgement is insufficient. It does not undo the harm that has been done and continues to be perpetrated now against Indigenous people, their land and water.

*We acknowledge the Upstander Project for the guidance in presenting this land acknowledgement