As Indigenous land acknowledgments become the norm, critics question whether the gesture has lost its meaning – The Globe and Mail

June 26, 2019

“Take a moment to connect with the land,” the posters said. “No matter what part of Mother Earth our family originates from, we all have a relationship to the land. Let’s build a healthy relationship together.”

But the problem was that the posters, billed as an Indigenous land acknowledgment for Toronto’s Pride celebration, didn’t actually mention the First Nations whose land was being acknowledged. The omission prompted a wave of criticism and an apology from Pride Toronto.

Offering a land acknowledgment has become a symbol of reconciliation and almost standard protocol for public gatherings across Canada, particularly at universities. But recently, they’ve also been criticized as an empty gesture, prompting some to ask whether they should change.

Read More: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-has-indigenous-land-acknowledgment-at-public-gatherings-become-an/