Land acknowledgments have become increasingly common nationwide over the past few years. Many mainstream public events — from soccer games and performing arts productions to city council meetings and corporate conferences — begin with these formal statements recognizing Indigenous communities' rights to territories seized by colonial powers. The 2024 Democratic National Convention began with an introduction reminding delegates how the convention is being held on land that was "forcibly removed" from Indigenous tribes. Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Council Vice-Chairman Zach Pahmahmie and Tribal Council Secretary Lorrie Melchior took to the stage at the start of the convention where they welcomed the Democratic Party to their "ancestral homelands."
Narrow down the conversation to these participants:
Province/Territory:
@B4GWPTL5 days5D
Land Acknowledgements are a liberal farce and we should focus on actually returning sovereignty to Indigenous peoples
@B46V7MRLibertarian3wks3W
No, and land acknowledgments pose a significant legal challenge to laws regarding unreasonable search and seizure. If we structure our society as if we were occupying stolen land, or in possession of stolen property, we would forfeit any legal rights to due process. These acts of Neo-Marxist legalistic colonialism must be put down brutally and quickly.
@B4FHWKS1wk1W
If you're going to acknowledge the land, you must also follow through with an action that puts money towards indigenous communities and their collective issues.
@B475RQG2wks2W
Not if we don’t plan to do anything to improve the lives of aboriginal people, because then it’s meaningless
@B45BC943wks3W
No, unless something is going to be done about the land, land acknowledgements are just lip service. No one is listening.
@B43S4G83wks3W
This should be determined by each First Nation. They should decide whether or not a land acknowledgement must occur at public events on their traditional land.
@B42F5YS3wks3W
No, because they are just rote words. Very few people actually feel meaning in them. Acknowledgement should be more concrete, not just lip service.
@B3YW9624wks4W
No. This land is our land. Canada was built by the four founding nations: the English, Scottish, Irish, and French. The North East Asians that wandered here first and conquered each other before we conquered them, are the losers of the game of civilization. This is our land now, and we are the native inhabitants. Canada is a white, British and French country.
@9W2RRYK6mos6MO
It doesn’t break my heart if they do, but it’s a fickle, sad display. “We are sorry for what we have done, but we refuse to give it back.”
@9VZT3KK6mos6MO
Yes, but it is virtue signaling if all they do to recognize Indigenous communities is this.
@9VW59ZN6mos6MO
No, I find instead of bringing people together, it’s creating more hatred.
@9VF4NS96mos6MO
Yes, but only when the event has something to do with indigenous culture.
@9V869ZL6mos6MO
It's should not be compulsory, I think it's the right thing to do though.
@9V7ZQ9S6mos6MO
Yes, as long as the land acknowledgement is not performative in nature
@9TXLQ287mos7MO
Acknowledgement is condescending. Do something material or stop the acknowledgments.
@9TQFF9X7mos7MO
Land acknowledgements are a nice idea, but words mean nothing if the government is still going to exploit and harm indigenous people
@B3QNMWT1mo1MO
It is nothing more than words... if we were serious about it we would make things right. It is like paying lip service.
@B3G3R7S1mo1MO
This has become a political correctness issue not a one of actually teaching and acknowledging history.
@B38PWRM2mos2MO
Yes, but only if they commit to ongoing truth and reconciliation practices within their organization/company
If the land acknowledge is meaningful and not the monotone version we all get now, I feel like it’s a bandaid and we should be more action towards reconciliation
@B35WYBC2mos2MO
Yes, but I recognize that land Acknowledgements are only a first step in a reconciliation process, and we must move beyond them as well
@mooncatcher 2mos2MO
Does not matter because land acknowledgements have become empty gesturing that does not address challenges faced by indigenous communities in any meaningful way
@B2W86PR2mos2MO
I feel like this has become trendy and insincere and for this reason I’m unsure if it is meeting it’s original intention.
@B2SZMQD2mos2MO
No, but this land shouldn't definitively be anybody's. It's land, and we should all be allowed to use it.
@B2L42TM3mos3MO
No, that is virtue signalling first treatment First Nations with respect and comply with all treaties signed only them you can acknowledge the land
@B2KR6773mos3MO
Land acknowledgements do nothing of use, do more for indigenous peoples rather than doing useless land acknowledgements
@B2BHXJB3mos3MO
No, land acknowledgments are often viewed as offensive to indigenous people as they are meaningless words.
@B29TC2JConservative3mos3MO
Yes, but only if the event the acknowledgement is for is actually taking place on once-Indigenous land.
@B24GG484mos4MO
Land acknowledgements are important but the organizations running the events should be doing more than just acknowledgements
@9ZYVF3M4mos4MO
I feel like land acknowledgements should be included for stationary events, such as erected buildings or parks, but not for streets.
@9ZRQ8ZP5mos5MO
I don’t think it should be a requirement, but it is a very important act of acknowledgment.
@9ZMGHLR 5mos5MO
Feels like an empty statement. What are words without actions, acknowledging you are on indigenous land while harming indigenous people means nothing
@9ZLYGN75mos5MO
Yes, and the land acknowledgements should be written and/or approved by the Indigenous community it is acknowledging.
@9YMS6L85mos5MO
Yes, and they should do more for Indigenous communities.
@9YK7T9B5mos5MO
The government should focus less on symbolic acts of support for Indigenous people and more on materially improving their lives and making sure they can all do basic things like drink clean water and afford food.
@9XQCRFDConservative 5mos5MO
No, it's primarily lip-service that's reductive of the broader history of the land and its people.
Yes, but only if the event is associated with action retributive and restorative action
@9X3ZQ9S5mos5MO
these do nothing and do not help indigenous people it is just so we feel better
@9W555VD6mos6MO
No because what are they doing to fix the problem. We all know it's stolen land
Loading the political themes of users that engaged with this discussion
Loading data...
Join in on more popular conversations.