Land Acknowledgement

What is a land acknowledgement used for?
A land acknowledgment is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous peoples as the original stewards of the land. It acknowledges the enduring relationship between Indigenous communities and their traditional territories, most of which have been stolen, renamed, or otherwise impacted by colonial history. Land acknowledgments are used to honor Indigenous presence and sovereignty, as well as to raise awareness of Indigenous histories and perspectives. By naming the land’s original caretakers, these statements encourage reflection on the legacies of colonization and promote a commitment to reconciliation and mutual respect. IEI recognizes, however, that land acknowledgements become empty words when the actions of an organization or institution don’t work to support local Indigenous communities. Therefore, the goal of the Indigenous Engagement Initiative is to educate the community on Indigenous history and partner with other programs and individuals to uplift and celebrate Indigenous peoples.

Land Acknowledgement statement:
Early in 2022, Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sibby Anderson-Thompkins established the Indigenous Engagement Initiative to conduct research and develop an institutional Land Acknowledgment Statement and recommend actions to support an authentic engagement with local and state Indigenous communities.
The IEI has engaged local indigenous groups to understand how they would like to be acknowledged. Our local indigenous partners ask that until such time as we have an approved land acknowledgement statement, individuals who wish to use or provide such a statement use the following:
“The University of the South is situated on land sacred to numerous Indigenous tribes. As part of its commitment to Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation, the University, through its Indigenous Engagement Initiative, is reaching out to tribal representatives to build a mutually respectful and sustainable community. Initial efforts have underscored the importance of deep listening and deference to tribes through a mindful and holistic process of exploring shared history and discovering common goals, including how tribes would prefer to be acknowledged. It is the University's goal that specific acknowledgment, in whatever form it takes, will ultimately comprise only a small part of a healing and shared future.”