Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries respectfully acknowledge the province of Newfoundland and Labrador as the ancestral homelands of many diverse populations of Indigenous people who have contributed to 9,000 years of history including the Beothuk on the Island of Newfoundland. Today, this province is home to diverse populations of Indigenous people. We also acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit.
When to Use a Land Acknowledgement?
Land Acknowledgements are commonly done at the start of events like ceremonies, talks, or any public gathering. It serves as a subtle way to acknowledge the impact of colonial history and the importance of change in societies with a history of settler colonialism.
Yet, these acknowledgments can sometimes become merely symbolic rather than a genuinely impactful action.
How to Personalize a Land Acknowledgement?
First Light's Land Acknowledgement
"We respectfully acknowledge the land on which we work as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk, whose culture has been lost forever and can never be recovered. We also acknowledge the island of Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland) as the unceded, traditional territory of the Beothuk and the Mi'kmaq. And we acknowledge Labrador as the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Innu of Nitassinan, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, and the Inuit of NunatuKavut. We recognize all First Peoples who were here before us, those who live with us now, and the seven generations to come. As First Peoples have done since time immemorial, we strive to be responsible stewards of the land and to respect the cultures, ceremonies, and traditions of all who call it home. As we open our hearts and minds to the past, we commit ourselves to working in a spirit of truth and reconciliation to make a better future for all."
MUN's Land Acknowledgements
St. John’s Campus:
"We acknowledge that the lands on which Memorial University’s campuses are situated are in the traditional territories of diverse Indigenous groups, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit of this province."
Grenfell Campus:
"We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is in traditional Mi’kmaw territory, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit of this province."
Labrador Institute:
"We acknowledge that the lands and waters on which we gather are the homelands of the Innu and Inuit of Labrador, and recognize their ancestral and continued ties to these lands and waters."