Land acknowledgements are an intentional recognition of the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples. To perform a meaningful land acknowledgement, it’s important to know the specific Indigenous groups, languages, and treaties relevant to the area in which you are living, working, and/or traveling. A variety of resources exist to support the crafting of meaningful land acknowledgments:

1. An excellent starting point is the interactive map by Native Land Digital, which provides detailed information on traditional territories, languages, and treaties across Canada and beyond. Link: https://native-land.ca/
2. Whose Land provides extensive resources on building a land acknowledgement as well as Indigenous perspectives on land acknowledgements. There’s an interactive map, website links to different Nations, and lesson plans for different age groups. Link: https://www.whose.land/en/
3. The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) has produced a detailed PDF booklet on territory acknowledgements. This document is an educational resource that provides context about the importance of these acknowledgements and detailed instructions on how to perform them respectfully, along with examples and common phrases used in territory acknowledgements. Link: https://www.fnha.ca/Documents/FNHA-Territory-Acknowledgements-Information-Booklet.pdf
4. Amnesty International Canada provides a guide that outlines the significance of land acknowledgements and offers practical advice on incorporating them into various forms of public engagement. Link: https://www.amnesty.ca/activism-guide/activism-skills-land-and-territory-acknowledgement/
5. For those in academic settings, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) offers a comprehensive guide tailored to university campuses across Canada. Link: https://www.caut.ca/content/guide-acknowledging-first-peoples-traditional-territory
6. The Xwi7xwa library at the University of British Columbia (UBC) offers specific resources on land acknowledgements. These resources provide guidance on recognizing Indigenous lands accurately and respectfully, supporting a deeper understanding of diverse Indigenous communities. Link: https://guides.library.ubc.ca/distance-research-xwi7xwa/landacknowledgements

Using these resources offers a good start for developing land acknowledgements that are informed, respectful, and impactful, fostering greater awareness and respect for Indigenous histories and contributions. It can also be helpful to reach out to or learn from the websites of Indigenous communities in your area to understand their specific preferences or recommendations.