Land Acknowledgement for Indigenous People's Day

My business and home, just like your home, sit on land once stewarded and inhabited by Native Americans.

After hearing land acknowledgements on several occasions in 2020 and learning more about the Indigenous peoples who lived in what is now central North Carolina, I wanted to share this acknowledgement today.

This is done out of respect to the Native people who lived here for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. This is shared to acknowledge the much-whitewashed history of genocide and dishonesty committed by the colonial and U.S. governments. This statement is shared in solidarity with the people of Indigenous descent living today.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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"To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol. A land acknowledgement is a formal statement that recognizes the unique and enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories." (www.lspirg.org/knowtheland)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you're interested in learning more about the tribes on whose lands you live and work, www.native-land.ca is an excellent starting point for research and self-education.

Thanks and credit go to @trevia_woods, whose sharing of information from tribal elders in our area, contributed to this particular acknowledgment.
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-Erin