Land Acknowledgements

Territorial Acknowledgements: Going Beyond the Script

Have you ever wondered how to create your own territorial acknowledgement, or why you might want to create one? With help and guidance from University of Alberta faculty and staff you, too, can create personal, meaningful, and impactful territorial acknowledgements. Watch the full length video.

Looking for more? Explore our Resources section.

Map of Treaty 6 Territory

Map of Treaty 6 Territory, from http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maps/cantreaty/treaty6map.html

Celebrating Indigenous Heritage

The University of Alberta is home to a diverse and welcoming community of over 1,300 Indigenous students from across the country, and Edmonton has the second-largest Indigenous population of any city in Canada. We celebrate our Indigenous heritage, including the ancestral lands on which our university is located today, and we are proud to be the only university in Canada with a Faculty of Native Studies.

Acknowledging Traditional Territory

To acknowledge the traditional territory is to recognize its long history, reaching beyond colonization and the establishment of European colonies, as well as its significance for the Indigenous peoples who lived and continue to live upon this territory, and whose practices and spiritualities were tied to the land and continue to develop in relationship to the land and its other inhabitants today.

Statements

The following statements acknowledge the traditional territory on which the University of Alberta resides. All U of A conferences and public events held on campus are opened with one of these acknowledgments, and they may be included as part of written U of A documents such as websites, brochures, or papers. Professors may also wish to use them during the first class of the semester as a sign of respect, to acknowledge the rich history of these lands.

"The University of Alberta respectfully acknowledges that we are situated on Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people."

"The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages, and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community."

"The University of Alberta respectfully acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples including the Cree, Blackfoot, Métis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibway/ Saulteaux/Anishinaabe, Inuit, and many others whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community."