Land Acknowledgement
On October 25, 2018, a proposal was made to the Grande Prairie Aboriginal Circle of Services (GPACOS), which
included two land acknowledgements to encompass the region in which we live and work. The acknowledgment was
recognised by Northwestern Polytechnic and implemented into the communication portfolio across all media.
In March 2022, the Indigenous Advisory Committee suggested revising the Land Acknowledgment used by
Northwestern Polytechnic. Our Elders, Loretta Parenteau-English and Theresa Gladue, along with Desiree
Mearon led this process, and the following acknowledgement was developed.
Northwestern Polytechnic acknowledges that our campuses are located on Treaty 8 territory, the ancestral
and present-day home to many diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people. We are grateful to work,
live and learn on the traditional territory of Duncan's First Nation, Horse Lake First Nation and
Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, who are the original caretakers of this land.
We acknowledge the history of this land and we are thankful for the opportunity to walk together in
friendship, where we will encourage and promote positive change for present and future
generations."
The first acknowledgment above is intended for more formal settings, bigger groups, or longer meetings. For
example, the formal acknowledgement may be suitable for opening a conference, event or assembly. The second one
below is intended for more casual occasions or after someone has already made the formal acknowledgement. For
example, when one is the third speaker at an event, at the beginning of an informal meeting, or during morning
announcements.
"We acknowledge the Indigenous people and their ancestors, whose land we are on"
Specific Language was Used
A lot of thought was put into the language used for this statement. A glossary can be found below, explaining
why specific words have been used and what importance they have in contributing to the power of this
acknowledgement.
Ancestors
Acknowledging our Ancestors: While certain groups of people continue to live on
this land, there are many no longer present today that have a strong history and tie to the
land. Thus, we acknowledge the people and the Ancestors.
Ancestral Homeland
Homeland for First Nations & Métis: Often, homeland is used only for
Métis peoples within the area. However, the term homeland also encompasses the various
First Nations people of the area. As such, it has been used for both First Nations and
Métis acknowledgement.
Homeland before Treaty: Often, acknowledgement of the Treaty is first within a
Land Acknowledgement. However, the Treaty is an agreement that was made with settlers later in
history - the Indigenous peoples had been on this land since time immemorial. As such, we feel
it is important to recognize the homeland before the Treaty.
First Nations
- First Nations refers to status and non- status Indian peoples in Canada
- Not a legal term; the Canadian constitution and legislation still use the term Indian
- Term used by the Assembly of First Nations
- Refers to the over 617 distinct Indigenous groups in Canada
- Each Indigenous group has its own distinct culture, language, traditions and protocols
- First Nation is also used to replace band when referring to communities
Learn more important terminology through Stepping Stones
Gratitude
We have added that “we are grateful to work, live and learn on
the traditional territory of Treaty 8”. This ties the past to the present and recognizes
where we stand today. It also expresses necessary gratitude and brings a good feeling to the
acknowledgement.
Indigenous Peoples
- Term used globally to refer to the original inhabitants of any region
- Includes the three groups of Indigenous people in Canada: First Nations, Métis and Inuit
Learn more important terminology through Stepping Stones
Inuit
- “The people” in Inuktitut language
- Inuit is plural and the singular form is Inuk
- The Indigenous people in Northern Canada who live in Nunavut, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Northern Quebec and Northern Labrador. Specifically, Inuit originated in the central and eastern Arctic and Inuvialuit originated in the western Arctic
Learn more important terminology through Stepping Stones
Métis
- The Métis are one of three distinct Indigenous peoples in Canada recognized under the 1982 Canadian constitution and have a culture, language and traditions distinct from First Nations and Inuit
- The historical term used to describe children born to First Nations women and European men; it has become the accepted term to describe all children born of First Nations women and European men
- The Supreme Court of Canada identified three broad factors in determining who is Métis: self-identification, ancestral connection to the historic Métis community and community acceptance
Learn more important terminology through Stepping Stones
Treaty
Acknowledging Treaty: In some cases, Indigenous people reject the term Treaty
due to the oppressive and colonial history of treaties. While this is an educational piece to
share, Treaty 8 still exists and continues to affect the lives of Indigenous and non-Indigenous
people today. Thus, we feel it is important to acknowledge and recognize that we are in
traditional territory of Treaty 8.
What is Treaty 8?
Treaty 8 was signed on 21 June 1899 by the Crown and First Nations of the Lesser Slave Lake area.
The treaty covers roughly 841,487.137 km2 of what was formerly the North-West Territories and British
Columbia, and now includes northern Alberta, northwest Saskatchewan, and portions of the modern Northwest
Territories and BC, making it the largest treaty by area in the history of Canada.
The terms and implementation of Treaty 8 differ importantly from those of previous Numbered Treaties, with
long-lasting consequences for the governance and peoples of that area.
Learn More about Treaty
8
Contact Us
For more information on how to use the land acknowledgement statement, please contact:
