Our land acknowledgement: A collective statement and commitment
The Jao Research Team is a collective of researchers, educators, and academics based out of the Department of Integrated Studies in Education in the Faculty of Education at McGill University in Tiohtià:ke [Joh-JAW-gay] (colonially known as Montreal), which is situated on the unceded territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka [Ga-niyen-ge-HAA-ga] on Turtle Island (colonially known as North America). This land has long served as a site of meeting and exchange among the Haudenosaunee [Hoh-DEE-noh-SHoh-nee] and Anishinabeg [Ah-nish-ih-nah’-bey] nations. We humbly recognize, respect, and honour the presence of these communities and their contributions, as the original caretakers of this land.
Our team is comprised of - and informed by - a variety of personal and professional experiences, upbringings, and identities. This diversity enriches our independent and collective growth as life-long learners who are motivated to improve the educational experiences for the success and well-being of all students. Our work varies across mathematics, science, STEM, and teacher education contexts.
We acknowledge our privilege of being able to live and pursue our interests and passions in this territory as well as our limitations as settlers/guests in this space. We also recognize that we are part of an institution with a history of oppression of Black, Indigenous, and minoritized peoples. We are implicated and complicit in the ongoing colonial project and, as educators, academics, and members of our communities, we are committed to the actions of listening, learning and acting in accordance with community in the pursuit of addressing injustices and righting our relations. As we continue to reflect on our intersectional identities, we acknowledge our responsibility to engage in respectful, ethical, and collaborative research.
This acknowledgement is a living document, reflective of the members of the group as our learning shifts and evolves. In creating this statement, we came together with open hearts and minds to learn about the history of this land and its peoples, consider our positionalities and relationality, and “stumble forward” as we develop our individual and collective voices in defining who we are and how we want to proceed as settlers/guests on this land. We commit to this ongoing work and to continue asking ourselves: How can we (further) honour this land and its peoples? We call on, encourage, and invite others to embrace this approach and to consider: How are you honouring this land and its peoples? What are you committed to doing in support of reconciliation?
We understand that land acknowledgements are one small step in the reconciliatory process. We recognize our responsibilities in unlearning and re-imagining equitable and just ways forward, guided by Indigenous scholars, elders, knowledge keepers, and community through a re-building of respectful, reciprocal Treaty relations. We welcome feedback to guide us in our learning in alignment with community in order to contribute to the work of decolonization in education and academia.
Resources
In the spirit of transparency and life-long learning, we are sharing a list of resources to help extend your understanding of Indigenous communities and their cultures. This collection of resources includes news articles, podcasts, videos, educator resources such as lesson plans and STEM teaching guides, etc, which have served us in the deepening of our understandings of Indigenous ways of knowing and being. We hope that this list can support your learning and we look forward to continuing to expand our knowledge base as we update our list with additional resources.
Our team is comprised of - and informed by - a variety of personal and professional experiences, upbringings, and identities. This diversity enriches our independent and collective growth as life-long learners who are motivated to improve the educational experiences for the success and well-being of all students. Our work varies across mathematics, science, STEM, and teacher education contexts.
We acknowledge our privilege of being able to live and pursue our interests and passions in this territory as well as our limitations as settlers/guests in this space. We also recognize that we are part of an institution with a history of oppression of Black, Indigenous, and minoritized peoples. We are implicated and complicit in the ongoing colonial project and, as educators, academics, and members of our communities, we are committed to the actions of listening, learning and acting in accordance with community in the pursuit of addressing injustices and righting our relations. As we continue to reflect on our intersectional identities, we acknowledge our responsibility to engage in respectful, ethical, and collaborative research.
This acknowledgement is a living document, reflective of the members of the group as our learning shifts and evolves. In creating this statement, we came together with open hearts and minds to learn about the history of this land and its peoples, consider our positionalities and relationality, and “stumble forward” as we develop our individual and collective voices in defining who we are and how we want to proceed as settlers/guests on this land. We commit to this ongoing work and to continue asking ourselves: How can we (further) honour this land and its peoples? We call on, encourage, and invite others to embrace this approach and to consider: How are you honouring this land and its peoples? What are you committed to doing in support of reconciliation?
We understand that land acknowledgements are one small step in the reconciliatory process. We recognize our responsibilities in unlearning and re-imagining equitable and just ways forward, guided by Indigenous scholars, elders, knowledge keepers, and community through a re-building of respectful, reciprocal Treaty relations. We welcome feedback to guide us in our learning in alignment with community in order to contribute to the work of decolonization in education and academia.
Resources
In the spirit of transparency and life-long learning, we are sharing a list of resources to help extend your understanding of Indigenous communities and their cultures. This collection of resources includes news articles, podcasts, videos, educator resources such as lesson plans and STEM teaching guides, etc, which have served us in the deepening of our understandings of Indigenous ways of knowing and being. We hope that this list can support your learning and we look forward to continuing to expand our knowledge base as we update our list with additional resources.