You may have heard of, or witnessed, a land acknowledgement. It's often considered a first step in recognizing that the lands where we live, work, and play are Indigenous lands. But what about Indigenous peoples? Before land acknowledgement, we have to know and understand what it means to be in relation to land and peoples:

• How much do you know about this place called "Ithaca"?

• How much do you know about the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫɁ people and their relationship with this place, past and present?

• How can learning the names and histories of these lands be a first step toward reorienting your relation to land, and to the Indigenous peoples of the Cayuga Lake region?

 

This event is part of an ongoing conversation at Ithaca College that will feature a brief presentation by Dr. Kurt Jordan, author of The Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫɁ People in the Cayuga Lake Region (2022), which draws on archival and archaeological resources as well as conversations with Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫɁ people. The event will also include interactive activities designed to build and activate the knowledge base needed to set the conditions for meaningful, sustained action around land acknowledgement and beyond.

 

Copies of Dr. Jordan's book are available free of charge, and may be picked up at the Center for Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, the BIPOC Unity Center, and the Center for Faculty Excellence. It is not necessary to read the book to participate! Books will also be available for pick up at this event.

 

Light refreshments will be served.

 

Sponsored by the Center for Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (CEIB) and the Center for the Study of Culture, Race & Ethnicity (CSCRE), in partnership with the BIPOC Unity Center and the Center for Faculty Excellence, with support from the Council of Independent Colleges and the Mellon Foundation. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Mack Rovenolt at eib@ithaca.edu or 6072747011. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.