Land Acknowledgement

We begin by acknowledging that the land on which we are gathered is the seized territory of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which includes the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora Nations. Truth and acknowledgement are critical to building mutual respect and connection. WE pay respects to the elders of the Haudenosaunee, past and present. Please take a moment to consider that we are here as a result of a history of violence and displacement.*

Join us in enacting justice by:

• Offer land acknowledgements with action steps at all events and meetings that you plan.
• Celebrate and acknowledge Indigenous Peoples’ Day in your community.
• Read books written by Native People, such as Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States.
• Fight for the removal of offensive and dehumanizing mascots and iconography in our area.
• Learn the self-given names for the area you grew up or now live.
  • The University of Rochester river campus is located on Onöndowa’ga (Seneca) land.
• Search out local heritage sites, museums, and Indigenous groups in your area to learn more about Indigenous people in the area celebrates their culture and identity.
  • Areas of interest near Rochester, NY include:
    • Ganondagan State Historic Site
    • “Water is Life” mural on the Genesee River by artist Peter Jemison
    • Native American Resources on Standing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ) Rochester, NY
    • Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation (NOON)
• Advocate for history of Indigenous People being taught in your local schools.

*Developed by the Indigenous Peoples Day Planning Committee in Rochester, NY, a group convened by the Native American Cultural Center and by Standing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ) Rochester, NY. Emphasis as created by the planning committee.