In the Spring of 2025, a client introduced the possibility of starting learning sessions with a land acknowledgement. Since we were leading a module on Cultural Agility, this invitation presented a unique opportunity to explore how we engage meaningfully with Indigenous histories and communities – especially when working across geographies and cultures.
Note: Indigenous land acknowledgment is an effort to recognize the Indigenous past, present, and future of a particular location and to understand our own place within that relationship. Usually, land acknowledgments take the form of written and/or verbal statements. It’s becoming increasingly common to see land acknowledgments delivered at conferences, community gatherings, places of worship, concerts and festivals, etc. (Source: Native Governance Center)
Starting the Conversation
We began the process with a question: What do we need to understand first?
We were faced with a particular challenge, as Jimena was no longer living in Canada. While she had crafted her own land acknowledgement in the past – and supported leaders to do the same – nothing had prepared her for this situation.
So, we did what we do best: we explored the bridges between us, our different locations, and how the stories of the lands we live or lived in interrelate. We came up with a first draft, then reached out to a dear Akwesasne Kanien’kehà:ka & Oglala Lakota friend and colleague for support. Did the message we were trying to convey make sense?
Our first draft:
As part of our commitment to the goals of truth and reconciliation, we wish to draw attention to the fact that we are connected together in a virtual space where our computers serve as a kind of fire that invites us to conversation. We acknowledge that Julie is connecting from Turtle Island, she is based in the territories at the confluence of the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy of the Kanien’kehà:ka Nation and the Wabanaki Confederacy with a historic presence south of the St. Lawrence River. As for Jimena, she is connected from Turtle Island in the wider sense of our globe. She is currently based in the city of Barcelona, cradle of Spanish colonization of the indigenous peoples of South America, whose right to territory was recently recognized in the new Constitution of her country of origin, Argentina.
Our friend’s feedback was positive, and he encouraged us to go deeper into the exercise, which brought to light a new question: How do we craft a land acknowledgement for the second session of a two-part module?
Learning with AI
In our search for more information on the Indigenous lands of Canada, we browsed on Native Land Digital, where we discovered the Kōrero AI Agent. To draft our land acknowledgement, the bot invited us to move through three stages:
- Relationship – What is your relationship to the lands and waters you’re on? (Are you visiting? Living? Learning? Working with the land? Seeking connection?)
- Action – What meaningful actions can you take to support the ongoing care of these lands and waters? (Supporting Indigenous-led initiatives, learning histories, showing up for community efforts, etc.)
- Commitment – How will you commit to these actions moving forward? (Your acknowledgment becomes a living statement of your role in stewardship.)
We found these to be powerful steps towards a personalized land acknowledgment that also feels meaningful. We could be satisfied with a first draft that focused on a recognition of the land, and we could deepen our reflections, exploring possibilities for concrete action.
The bot was less helpful to us in this regard, suggesting actions that were more aligned to an activist stance than to our context: external professionals facilitating a learning session. As with all AI tools, critical thinking and prudence are essential! Keep your intentions in mind, as well as the message you want to convey, and check the sources! For instance, further questioning rendered suggestions contained AI hallucinations like references and places that could not be found.
Taking Action Locally
To work around these constraints, we put our boots to the ground and set out to visit relevant sites near our respective locations, also taking time to reflect on our process and share what we learned.
In our second land acknowledgement…
Julie acknowledged an Indigenous land near the place from which she connected to the session. She shared her visit to Woodyatt Park, near the historic Abénaquis village of Odanak and the Alsignateg River, once a vital source for hunting and fishing.
Jimena visited a historical site in Barcelona to learn more about the Capitulations of Santa Fe, key document of the Spanish colonization in the Americas.
Together, we reiterated our commitment to listen deeply, to challenge colonial narratives in our own learning, and to support Indigenous-led movements beyond the oceans, understanding that solidarity requires both humility and action.
Your Turn
What has been your experience in working towards the goals of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous communities?
If you’re new to this, how would you answer the following questions?
- What is your relationship to the lands and waters you’re on?
- What meaningful actions can you take to support the ongoing care of these lands and waters?
- How will you commit to these actions moving forward? Let us know what comes up for you!
We’d love to hear about your experience on this journey!