Princeton Land Acknowledgement Guidelines
The following guidelines are designed to assist with preparation and delivery of land acknowledgements.
Excerpt
Land acknowledgements should be read at the beginning of a gathering or meeting.
A land acknowledgement text should be concise and clear (the details informing the statement can be explored at length in a publicly-available companion document, as appropriate).
Be specific about the exact names of relevant indigenous groups and sub-groups and be sure to confirm correct pronunciations and spellings.
Make efforts to be aware of any competing indigenous claims to specific areas and/or indigenous groups in other locations who may be stakeholders.
The text should accurately reflect present-day and historical power structures and avoid patronizing Indigenous Peoples (i.e. clearly indicate that the land was occupied; do not express gratitude, as it implies the land was willingly given, etc.).
Ideally, Land Acknowledgements result from a larger process bringing together all relevant stakeholders, including institutional members as well as Indigenous People. Relevant topics for shared consideration could include:
What is the history of this territory? What are the impacts of colonialism here?
What is the institutional relationship to this territory? How did it come to be here?
How does the institution intend to address colonialism beyond acknowledgement?