A Territorial Acknowledgement is a statement that recognizes the unique and continuing relationship between Indigenous Peoples and their Traditional Territories/Ancestral Lands, respects Indigenous protocols, and builds awareness of the historic and contemporary presence of Indigenous Peoples on the land where we live and work. The schools of the Waterloo Region District School Board are located on the Traditional Territory/Ancestral Lands of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Chonnonton People.

The Territorial Acknowledgement in the WRDSB

The following Territorial Acknowledgement can begin an ongoing process toward understanding our relationship to this land.

I (we) would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather today is the lands traditionally used by the Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-o-show-nee), Anishinaabe (Ah-nish-nah-bey), and Chonnonton (Chi-nawn-ton) People. I (we) also acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws and philosophies of the Indigenous Peoples with whom we share this land today. We are all treaty people with a responsibility to honour all our relations.

Nous aimerions commencer en reconnaissant que les terres sur lesquelles nous nous réunissons aujourd’hui sont les terres traditionnelles des Haudenosaunee, des Anishinaabe, et du Peuple Chonnonton. Nous reconnaissons également la présence durable ainsi que les connaissances, les lois et les philosophies traditionnelles et profondes des Peuples Autochtones avec lesquels nous partageons cette terre aujourd’hui. Nous sommes tous des gens issus de traités et nous avons la responsabilité d’honorer toutes nos relations.

*At this time, the WRDSB is shifting from using the term “Neutral” to “Chonnonton,” which reflects the centering of Indigenous languages and responds to recommendations from the Indigenous Education Advisory Circle (IEAC).