What is a Land Acknowledgement?
“It is important to understand the longstanding history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements 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.”
– Northwestern University.
The Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians is grateful for the greater Los Angeles community reaching out in good faith to acknowledge the Tribe through “Land Acknowledgment Statements.” Since the Tribe is inundated with requests, we ask that visitors review the information on this page before contacting the Tribe. Additionally, the content on this page represents the views of the FTBMI. Please contact other Tribal Nations if you would like information on their unique protocols and perspectives. As institutions, organizations, and communities seek the development of land acknowledgments, here is some helpful information to consider.
The proper way to write a land acknowledgment on Fernandeño Tataviam homelands is to name the actual village your institution occupies, followed by the Tribe’s name, where village descendants are enrolled as citizens. As a village–based people it is critical to continue to honor our villages and land, and to recognize our ancestors, elders, and future generations to come.
Sample Land Acknowledgment language:
[YOUR ENTITY] recognizes and acknowledges the first people of this ancestral and unceded territory of [Contact Tribe for Name of Village ] that is now occupied by our [institution]; honors their elders, past and present, and the descendants who are citizens of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. We recognize that the Tribe is still here and we are committed to lifting up their stories, culture, and community.”
Land Acknowledgments may seem performative if they lack a meaningful relationship with the Tribe, grounded in reciprocity and respect. Here are some of the ways in which our allies support and relationship-build with us:
- Contribute to AcknowledgeRent at www.acknowledgerent.org
- Transfer of lands to Tataviam Land Conservancy
- Letter of Support towards the FTBMI’s federal acknowledgment application to the U.S. government
- Inclusion of FTBMI community in policy initiatives and campaigns
- Inclusion of FTBMI and Native Americans in data sets
- Inclusion of FTBMI history in K-12 curriculum
Have you watched our discussion centering on land acknowledgments?
Things to consider:
