At its January 2020 meeting, the Cosumnes River College Participatory Governance Council approved the recommendation to formally adopt the use of a land acknowledgment statement that recognizes the original Indigenous people of the land where Cosumnes River College has been located for almost 50 years. Through this acknowledgment, Cosumnes River College is showing its respect and gratitude for Indigenous people and their enduring relationship to the land.
For Faculty and Staff: How to Use the Acknowledgment
Campus stakeholders are encouraged to use the approved land acknowledgement listed below at the beginning of each major event held on campus:
“We pause to acknowledge that Cosumnes River College sits on the land of Miwok and Nisenan people. We remember their continued connection to this region and give thanks to them. We offer our respect to their Elders and to all Miwok and Nisenan people of the past and present.”
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge the land currently occupied by Cosumnes River College as the traditional home of the Miwok and Nisenan people. These sovereign people have been caretakers of the area since time immemorial. The state of California is home to more than 110 Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, representing the most diverse set of tribal nations anywhere in the United States. Despite centuries of genocide and occupation, the Miwok and Nisenan people continue as vibrant and resilient federally recognized tribes, bands, and rancherias. The waters of the Sacramento, American, and Cosumnes Rivers have nourished Miwok and Nisenan tribal communities with cultural and dietary sustenance throughout time. ‘Cosumnes’ of Cosumnes River derives from the Plains Miwok language. Stemming from the words "kosumu," meaning salmon and "umne," meaning the place of, it translates as "The Place of the Salmon." Today, we celebrate our Miwok and Nisenan tribal neighbors as the ancestral stewards of this land and honor their sustained existence. It is with their blessing and continued guidance that Cosumnes River College seeks to provide an accessible, equitable, and principled institution of learning.
What is a Land Acknowledgment?
A Land Acknowledgment is a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.
Why do we recognize the land?
To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those on whose territory you reside, and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense or historical context: understanding of structural inequities is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.
Information from http://www.lspirg.org/knowtheland.