LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Restorative Practices (RP) are not new, nor are they owned by RJ practitioners. They have existed as long as humans have lived in community with one another and have been passed down through generations. Some of us are just learning about them now, and others are much closer to these practices and don’t even call them RP; it’s just what happens. As restorative practitioners, one way to acknowledge Indigenous peoples and those who have kept these practices alive is through a land acknowledgement. Maria Girouard, the Executive Director of Wabanaki REACH, writes about land acknowledgments on their blog, saying: Ideally, a land acknowledgement that you create would reflect intent, purpose, and commitment to action. This gets people thinking what is it that they can do. It’s a good time for dialogue, self-reflection, guidance, and wondering. This begins a solid foundation from which to grow a meaningful land acknowledgement. Do your work. What was the original name of the place? What did it mean? Are there issues affecting the land and waterways of Wabanaki, the place we all now call home? Is there something you can do to steward these ancient relatives? To be in right relation with the land and its original peoples? At the same time that you are reflecting, don’t lose sight of its purpose — to acknowledge the land and the original stewards. There is no need for an epic history lesson in doing so. Land acknowledgment is a simple, powerful way of showing respect and memorializing the spirit of the people who were originally here. It is a step toward correcting stories and practices that have erased Indigenous people’s history and culture. It is a step toward inviting and honoring the truth — truth-telling. |
Restorative Justice Project Maine (RJP Maine) was founded in 2005 to offer responses to crime and wrongdoing that are grounded in restorative principles.
Our Mission: to promote a justice that is community-based, repairs harm, and creates safety and wellbeing for all. RJP Maine is a nonprofit organization that promotes fundamental change in communities, schools and institutions and the justice system. Our responses to crime and wrongdoing seek renewal and safety for the community, support and healing for the person who has been harmed, and accountability and reintegration of the person who caused harm. |
WATCH: A former youth participant in our program shares his perspectives
