Maeve Sheen

June 17th 2023

Land Acknowledgement

Before we begin this class, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathering today on the territories of
the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Watuth peoples.

When I acknowledge that I reside on the land of these people, I also acknowledge the rich history that
these people carry, and the injustices they have faced, and continue to face to this day. When colonialism
first begun in Canada, settlers brought a Euro-centric worldview that created irreversible damage to
Indigenous people, including but most definitely not confined to; assimilation, physical and emotional
abuse, manipulation and genocide. To this day, Indigenous people face the consequences of colonialism,
continuing to oppress and diminish them, in ways such as police brutality, repression of culture, and
generational trauma.

Throughout my journey of learning more about Indigenous people in Canada, and my role in colonialism,
I have connected through listening and mutual respect with people of all cultures and walks of life. When
I went to Ottawa, on a trip for a conference, I had made friends with two Indigenous girls, Cordelia and
Sierra. They originated from Manitoba, home of the Anishnaabe people, and told me about their
experience with cultural pride and community. Throughout that conference, I heard them use phrases such
as “deadly” and more slang terms that were popular in their communities. Not only did this expand my
vocabulary, yet it helped me to learn more ways to connect with Indigenous people, even if it was using a
small term once in a while. It was a small action that made a large impact.

I would like to leave you all with a prompt, to reflect on the role you play today in reconciliation and anti-
colonialism, “What are you currently doing in your daily life that reflects the impacts of colonialism, and
how can you reverse that action?” This can be as simple as going to work, driving a car on the roads and
not being mindful of the land that you drive on. The act of anti-colonialism is not simple, and difficult to
be done on your own, but making small steps to reconcile have a larger impact than you may think.