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HomeMy WebLinkAboutI. A. ARTS AND HUMANITIES COMMISSION’S CULTURAL EQUITY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ON LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT 11.19.2024Land Acknowledgement Statement Land Acknowledgement Subcommittee of Arts and Humanities Commission’s Cultural Equity Committee Emily Labows, Director | Michael Cloud Butler, Subcommittee Chair Cynthia C. Romero, MD, Arts and Humanities Commission Chair November 19, 2024 Purpose for Presentation •Background on City Council’s Resolution •Role of Arts and Humanities Commission’s Cultural Equity Committee and Land Acknowledgement Subcommittee •Brief History •Crafting the Statement: Steps in the Process •Draft Statement •How Other Communities Have Used Land Acknowledgement Statements 2 Background: Resolution by City Council •On October 3, 2023, City Council passed a resolution requesting the City Manager to encourage potential partnerships with Indigenous Tribes and create a process to formally craft a Land Acknowledgment for the City of Virginia Beach that recognizes the consequential role Indigenous Peoples played in the history of what became Virginia Beach and continue to play today. 3 Role of Cultural Equity Committee and Land Acknowledgement Subcommittee •The City Manager’s Office engaged the Cultural Affairs Department and the Arts and Humanities Commission to design and oversee the process for developing a land acknowledgement. •The Arts and Humanities Commission’s Cultural Equity Committee and its Land Acknowledgement Subcommittee committed to extensive research and discussions with Virginia’s Indigenous Tribes to ensure this Land Acknowledgement reflects both the historical and ongoing contributions of Indigenous Peoples to our community. 4 PRE-COLONIAL Indigenous tribes thrived in all regions of North America, and the coastal plain Indians of the area now known as Virginia Beach were called the Chesapeake or Chesopeans. According to historic legend, Powhatan, who led a significant coalition of tribes throughout the Mid-Atlantic, was told of a vision foretelling a threat from the east that would lead to an invasion and massacre of the Chesapeake Tribe. Many members of the Tribe were killed or assimilated into the Powhatan dominion. It is accepted that the Nansemond Indian Nation then became stewards of these lands. Historians estimate that the Indigenous population in what is now the United States ranged between 8 and 112 million individuals prior to 1492. COLONIAL AND POST-COLONIAL Tribes throughout Virginia traded and had various relations with colonists but were largely pushed off their lands as the colonies expanded. Some Indigenous Peoples fought in the Revolutionary war on both sides. Post-colonial policies increasingly oppressed Indigenous communities, dismantling of traditional Indigenous cultures. The Racial Integrity Act of 1924, which recognized only two races, white and colored, further suppressed Indigenous identity. This oppression included residential schools, significant land seizures, and restrictions on marriage, employment and more. Population estimates declined to 6 million by 1650. Brief History: Pre-Colonial to Post-Colonial 5 Cities, institutions, and individuals are making a difference in addressing and reconciling the negative actions, mindsets, and impacts of the past. Through collaborative resolutions, formal acknowledgments, partnerships, and expanded platforms for education and visibility, meaningful progress is underway. Across our state and others, land has been returned to Indigenous communities, and new health, welfare, and funding initiatives are being launched. In Virginia, the Nansemond Indian Nation has reclaimed lands in Suffolk, now open to the public for education and cultural experiences. They have also developed a healthcare network tailored to Indigenous communities’ unique needs and are engaged in a partnership to create affordable housing and mixed-use infrastructure. Additionally, they are revitalizing their traditions through pow-wows, traveling educational programs, and environmental stewardship projects, such as restoring the freshwater oyster population in collaboration with local nonprofit organizations. According to the 2020 census, there are approximately 2 million Native Americans in the U.S., along with 4 to 6 million people of mixed Native heritage. Accurate data remains challenging due to historical laws and stigmas that often prevented individuals from identifying as Indigenous on official documents. More than half of the Native American population lives in just five states, while the remainder is dispersed across the country, often far from ancestral lands. Brief History: Today 6 Crafting the Statement: Steps in the Process The Committee’s process to prepare the draft land acknowledgement included the following steps: •Researching Virginia’s Indigenous Tribes and their histories •Outreach and engagement with Tribal representatives •Numerous discussions and meetings, beginning in March 2024 •Review of other statements from across North America •Thoughtful reflection and revision of the statement 7 Invitations and Participants Subcommittee Members Michael Cloud-Butler, Land Acknowledgement Subcommittee Chair, Anishinaabe-Ojibwe Indian Tribe Olga Torres Baker, Cultural Equity Committee Chair Mark Johnson, Cultural Equity Committee Member Dr. Cynthia Romero, Arts & Humanities Commission Chair Hunter Thomas, Cultural Equity Committee Member Indigenous Community Advisors Keith Anderson, Chief, Nansemond Indian Nation Lee Lockamy, Chief Emeritus, Nansemond Indian Nation Lynette Allston, Chief, Nottoway Indian Tribe Walter “Red Hawk” Brown, Chief, Cheroenhaka-Nottoway Indian Tribe Ken Custalow, Chickahominy Indian Tribe Dr. Sheila Elliott, Nottoway Indian Tribe Dr. Susan Jenkins, Lenape Indian Tribe Kevin Krigsvold, Pamunkey Indian Tribe Sylvia Nery-Strickland, Cheroenhaka-Nottoway Indian Tribe 8 Draft City of Virginia Beach Land Acknowledgement We, the City of Virginia Beach, acknowledge that the present-day land on which this city exists is situated on lands that have been inhabited by Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial. The Chesapeake Indians inhabited two thriving communities known as Apasus and Chesepiooc meaning “country on a great river” in Algonquin, the native language spoken by many tribes of the coastal plain.Their bloodlines continue today in the Nansemond Indian Nation and by extension all Virginia Tribes. We acknowledge their rich traditions and the systematic erasure of their culture spanning 400 years since the colonization of America. These tribes continue to inhabit and steward these lands through the reclamation and preservation of their traditions, culture, and economic and ecological impact efforts. They are an integral part of our community’s past, present, and future. By recognizing and acknowledging the past and present, it is our intention to inspire meaningful engagement in a reconnection with and revival of the rich culture of the Indigenous Peoples of our city and state, to create a legacy of healing and cultural preservation for future generations. We call on ourselves and our community to seek opportunities and embrace actions that demonstrate a love and respect for this land, and which cultivate a spirit of reconciliation with the Indigenous People who continue to live and work within our shared community. Learn more about the work of the Nansemond Indian Nation and Virginia Tribes: http://Nansemond.gov or http://Commonwealth.Virginia.Gov/Virginia-Indians 9 How Other Communities Have Used Land Acknowledgement Statements Some cities display their Land Acknowledgement in public places and on city websites, to include information on local Indigenous history and Tribes Some cities recite full or condensed statements at significant city-sponsored events 10 Questions? 11