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Land Acknowledgement

Recogniton and respect

Recognizing and paying respect to the First Peoples on whose territories we live, work, and study is a vital part of our ongoing commitment to truth and reconciliation. For this reason, a version of our land acknowledgement is used at formal meetings, at events, in publications, and in other university venues and setting as appropriate.

Official Land Acknowledgement How to use the land acknowledgement Pronunciation guide
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Official Land Acknowledgement

This acknowledgement has been developed with the Indigenous Advisory Council, is consistent with statements currently used by Senate and at Convocation, and has been adopted by the Board for use at its meetings and activities.

±«Óătv University operates in the unceded territories of the Mi’kmaw, Wolastoqey, and Peskotomuhkati Peoples. These sovereign nations hold inherent rights as the original peoples of these lands, and we each carry collective obligations under the Peace and Friendship Treaties. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes and affirms Aboriginal and Treaty rights in Canada.

Using the land acknowledgement

  • The land acknowledgement should always be used widely in university activities, events and publications as it is an essential part of our commitment to truth and reconciliation.
  • ±«Óătv also has a historical acknowledgement to recognize the history, legacy and contributions of African Nova Scotians, which is suitable for appropriate contexts. While the historical acknowledgement is used in a manner similar to that of a land acknowledgement, it should never replace or be presented before a land acknowledgement.
  • When used together, the two statements should always be distinct, with space separating them, as they serve different purposes. 

Personalizing a land acknowledgement

Indigenous Knowledges & Ways of Knowing by ±«Óătv’s Centre for Learning and Teaching has an excellent section with more information about personalizing land acknowledgements and about land acknowledgements in general.

Tips for creating a personal acknowledgement

Pronunciation guide

Below are the phonetic spellings of the nations referred to in the land acknowledgement. Click the button to hear how the words are pronounced.

More language resources

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