Feature Article:

The Value of Acknowledging the Land

The land upon which I live…

My entire life I have been told that my family, on my father’s side, is part-Cherokee.  It has never been “proven,” to my knowledge, and my immediate family members aren’t affiliated directly with the Cherokee Nation as tribal members.  More recently I learned through discussions with elder family members on my mother’s side that we may have a connection with the Osage Nation, too. 

But, the oral history about my ancestors has always been a fascination for me.  Over the years I‘ve made a few attempts to confirm my grandfather’s Cherokee heritage by researching genealogy, interviewing family members, visiting the Cherokee Nation headquarters in Tahlequah, OK, and gathering photographs, news clippings, and other resources.  I’ve also spoken directly with tribal representatives from both Nations that I identify with to get assistance and clarity about my ancestry.  As I shared with my contacts from both Nations, I don’t want anything from them…I just want to unearth my connection to those who came before me; to acknowledge them, the land that they have called home for generations, and myself as an indigenous person who is passionate about my own sometimes unexplainable connections with the natural world.

Land Acknowledgement is a concept that is showing up more and more in our communities, particularly when we gather for conferences and workshops.  It is an important step forward toward understanding the effects of colonialism on indigenous people, and how we still have so far to go toward equity.  Interestingly there is controversy bubbling up about land acknowledgments that deserves discussion, and I feel that my point of view may be helpful or at least get us pondering.  How can we always improve when it comes to equity?

Perhaps one solution is to listen more, and explore the idea through other people’s eyes and experiences.

My mother always talked about how her father (whom I never met, unfortunately) had “black eyes and black shiny hair,” as did her oldest brother.  As a child I thought that was fascinating, especially in comparison with her and the rest of her large family (all with blue eyes and either blonde or light brown hair).  I don’t remember discussions about our ethnicity, but Mom often referred to her grandmother’s father as French.  It wasn’t until much later in life that I shared genealogy research with one of my aunts and she told me that they had found possible evidence (including a photograph) that their French grandfather had married an indigenous woman.  Historically it was quite common, and acceptable for a time, for the frenchmen who came into Missouri to marry Osage women.

My Cherokee heritage from my father’s side was discussed off and on during my childhood, and my father and his brothers all had black hair and  indigenous features.  Although Dad never really acknowledged it directly (probably because of the timeline in which he grew up and the rampant discrimination against indigenous people;  I myself have experienced heart-breaking racism after sharing my indigenous ancestry) he didn’t deny it either!  Besides, his father was born in eastern “Indian Territory” (later to become Oklahoma) in the 1890s.  Another piece of the puzzle.

I’m still trying to find the more tangible indigenous connections to both of my grandfathers, but most importantly to me at this point in my life is that I acknowledge them.  I also acknowledge that I am one of  their living descendants.  I identify with and acknowledge the land that they lived on for centuries, and were removed from against their will.  Finally, I respect the deep connection I feel with the natural world, and am grateful for my ancestors that passed it on to me.

There are many great resources to learn more about Land Acknowledgement and how to best express it.  The most important thing is that we go directly to the indigenous people for advice, and do the best we can. And I would add…no matter your ethnicity, we are all people of this Earth. Make an effort to connect with the land you live on yourself, and accept that “the land that surrounds us is part of who we are.”  https://nativegov.org/about/our-land-acknowledgement-statement

I’m going back to the Osage Hills

I’d never been, no not until

I met my clan, and I heard a voice

She calls me back to the Osage Hills,

She calls me back to the Osage Hills.

(excerpt from “The Osage Hills,” song written by Jamin Bray ©2010)

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