Why have a land acknowledgement?
Based on customary protocol carried out by Indigenous communities on Turtle Island (North America), land acknowledgements play a significant role in showing respect and recognizing the local Indigenous communities and traditional stewards of the land. 

While land acknowledgements are a practice, they are also an important part of reconciliation (building a new relationship) between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Peoples in Canada. We acknowledge ourselves as visitors, recognize the harm caused by the history of colonialism, and raise awareness of Indigenous presence and land rights. 

About Meadowridge’s Land Acknowledgement 
The Indigenous Education Committee has played an integral role in developing the land acknowledgement we use at Meadowridge School, acknowledging the ancestral lands of the Katzie, the Kwantlen, and the Stó:lō First Nation on which the campus sits. We use this land acknowledgement in many different settings, including school assemblies, meetings, on email signatures, and online. 

Reconnaissance des terres 
Meadowridge’s Land Acknowledgement in French
Recognizing the First Peoples, French-speaking First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, and the French Community at Meadowridge

On French Teacher Madame Emily Gish’s first day on the job, she had the clever idea to introduce a French translation of Meadowridge’s Land Acknowledgement. 

“I wanted to acknowledge the First Peoples, French-speaking First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, and the French-speaking students and community. I always look for inspiring ways to recognize the French language and create opportunities for French to be represented in meaningful and authentic ways,” says Mme. Gish. 

Conversations erupted around the school among administrative and teaching staff to integrate a French version of the acknowledgement. With the support of the Indigenous Education Committee and the help of French-speaking staff, a translated version of the Land Acknowledgement was ready for use across the campus. 

“Members of the Meadowridge community have Francophone and French ancestry and this may help them feel more connected. By hearing it more and seeing it being spoken more increases the value and importance of it among other languages that are represented at the school.” 

The newly translated French version of the Land Acknowledgement was presented for the first time at the Truth and Reconciliation Assembly by students in September and will now be used alongside the English version at assemblies, celebrations, and other school gatherings. As Mme. Gish explains, this is a small step toward reconciliation. 

“We are working towards being more inclusive through reconcili-action, making meaningful actions while working toward reconciliation. By being more inclusive, increasing awareness and celebrating our unique languages, cultures, and teachings of Indigenous Peoples we can understand the role we play in the journey of reconciliation.”