below America Meredith ( Cherokee Nation ), ᏧᏴᏢ ᎠᎹᏰᎵ , Tsuyvtlv Amayeli , 2008 , watercolor , pen and ink on paper , 7 × 5 in ., private collection .
opposite America Meredith ( Cherokee Nation ), ᏧᎦᎾᏮ ᎠᎹᏰᎵ , Tsuganawv Amayeli , 2008 , watercolor , pen and ink on paper , 7 × 5 in .
The maps in the Smithsonian ’ s series , The Handbook of South American Indians and The Handbook of North American Indians , are helpful ; however , many of the maps are outdated , especially of South America , and should be viewed as starting points for further research . In Brazil , the Socio-Environmental Institute ’ s website , Povos Indígenas no Brasil ( pib . socioambiental . org ), is an invaluable tool available in Portuguese , Spanish , and English .
Treaties can be good resources , particularly in Canada , but also come with caveats . In California , many treaties with tribes remain unratified . Lands ceded in treaties were not always the homelands of a particular tribe . For instance , in two 18th-century treaties with the British , the Cherokee ceded lands in Kentucky , although we never historically lived in Kentucky , which was Shawnee territory at the time .
In the Prairies and Great Plains , access to horses dramatically changed lifeways and territories . Displaced by Europeans ’ encroachment , disease , and warfare , several tribes entered other tribes ’ territories . For example , Osage people clashed with Wichita people in Eastern Oklahoma , then Cherokees encroached on Osage land and fought with them . Native people are aware of historical skirmishes , but this can be upsetting to non-Native people who might want to believe Indigenous peoples were historical pacifists . Any hint of violence destroys a picture of moral purity they have painted in their minds ( though some tribes , such as the Hopi , are indeed people of peace ). We understand that we are human beings , and being forced to clash for resources is different than unilaterally committing genocide for profit .
Indian Removal must be addressed in the United States . The tribe whose homeland you might be on could now be in Kansas , Oklahoma , Texas , or elsewhere ; it behooves you to research and not just name tribes currently nearby . People tend to gravitate toward familiar names of large tribes , but smaller tribes need to be acknowledged as well . Some people might want to use historical names for tribes that might sound more poetic to non-Native audiences , but sovereignty is better supported by using the current , official name of the tribe . The current year ’ s federal registrar that lists the federally recognized tribes is easily searchable online , and almost every tribe has its own website sharing a basic overview of its history .
Institutions may phrase their land acknowledgment loosely and vaguely , when their locations sit squarely on current tribal lands ( for instance , in Tulsa ). In this case , that tribe should be acknowledged first by its current , official name . Google Maps has become a handy resource for reservation boundaries .
While it is good to consult Native people in researching your land acknowledgment , particularly if you live in a region that forcibly removed local tribes , it is important to reach out to the tribes and First Nations themselves , rather than just individuals . Many Elders are busy and do not live to answer strangers ’ emails . Tribal historic preservation officers and cultural centers are better equipped to educate the non-Native public .
These histories are often complex and contested , but dialogue about Indigenous lands and history is valuable . Native people should feel empowered to respond to any errors and omissions in your land acknowledgment , and institutions need to listen . Educational and marketing departments of tribes could proactively reach out to organizations within their current , historical , and ancestral homelands to get their voices heard and forge alliances .
While it is easy to bash land acknowledgments , they serve as educational tools , especially as they reach new audiences . Of course , the statements do not replace action ; however , erasure is one of the fundamental challenges facing Indigenous peoples of the Americas today . By convincing non-Native people to think about Native people even briefly , land acknowledgments help push back against erasure and encourage place-based knowledge .
As the Native Governance Center in Minneapolis states , “ Starting somewhere is better than not trying at all .” 2
— America Meredith ( Cherokee Nation )
2 . “ A guide to Indigenous land acknowledgment ,” Native Governance Center , web .
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