Using a Land Acknowledgement in Your Teaching Practice

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Map showing the territories of the Original People of Los Angeles County

Map showing the territories of the Original People of Los Angeles County. From the Los Angeles Almanac Links to an external site..

Why Does Faculty Development Acknowledge the Land of the Indigenous Peoples? 

A land acknowledgement is a formal recognition of the original stewards of the land and their connection to it.  In FacDev, we use a land acknowledgement as a reminder that the institution we’re part of represents a legacy of colonization and that we have the opportunity to disrupt systemic oppression through our practice as educators.  By acknowledging that the land our institution occupies was taken from the Indigenous Peoples who originally inhabited it, we seek to center the conversation on ways we can advance social justice and equity.  We also hope to, in some small way, honor those for whom this is their ancestral land.  A land acknowledgement represents our commitment to lifting up their stories, culture, and community.

Acknowledging the Ancestral and Unceded Territory of Sesevenga 

FacDev acknowledges that the land CSUN occupies is the historic and unceded territory of the Sesevitam.  The descendants of the first inhabitants of this land continue to live in the area as citizens of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians Links to an external site.. 

Review

For a very brief history of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, we encourage you to review this video (10 minutes, 23 seconds) in which community members share stories of their connection to the land.

Please also view this Land Acknowledgment video (1 minute 24 seconds) featuring CSUN students:

Consider

We invite you to deepen your thinking about land acknowledgements in the higher ed context by considering the following questions.

First, take a moment to turn inward and reflect on your connection to the land where you were born or raised. If you’re not sure who the original inhabitants were, this online resource Links to an external site. can help--just enter a location and the map will indicate which Indigenous Peoples have historical ties to the land.  

  • What do you know about the Indigenous Peoples who originally inhabited the land?
  • How did you come to have that knowledge?
  • Whose version of their story do you know?

Next, consider (re)educating yourself about the history, stories, and culture of the Peoples for whom it is their ancestral land by taking advantage of the rich offerings our campus provides.  Check out CSUN’s American Indian Studies Program. Attend campus-wide and local community events as part of your journey to unlearn the false narrative you may have been taught about the Indigenous People of North America (or any other region in the world) and relearn the truth through a new lens.

Another idea is to reflect on your own use of a Land Acknowledgement in your teaching practice.  Do you currently use a Land Acknowledgement?  Are there adjustments you could make to the Land Acknowledgement to make it more meaningful?  If you don’t use a Land Acknowledgement in your teaching, how would it be for you to start the practice?

These questions and considerations are just a few that can be used to help you get started in your reflection about the meaning and impact of Land Acknowledgements.