After arriving at a music festival, I look around and admire our beautiful Mother… Mother Nature that is. I think it is important to take a moment to appreciate our environment and reflect on how lucky we are to be able to enjoy the great outdoors while at a festival. One way to show our appreciation for this incredible experience is through land acknowledgments to celebrate native nations as the past, present, and future caretakers of the land we stand on. These communities have an unwavering commitment to protect our Earth and the life it sustains, and they should be acknowledged as the environmental stewards of the area.
With all this said, I encourage you to research the following before you arrive to a festival:
- The Indigenous people to whom the land belongs
- The history of the land
- The native language spoken here
- Names of living Indigenous people from these communities
- Indigenous place names
You should also try to learn the correct pronunciation for the names of the Tribes, places, and individuals that you’re including.
When you feel like the time is right — it could be when you are setting up camp, while waiting in line for security, or at your first set — take a minute or two to acknowledge the Indigenous land.
When delivering your land acknowledgment, remember to:
- Use past, present, and future tenses — Indigenous people are still thriving!
- Aim to inspire others to take action to support Indigenous communities. Some ways they can do this is:
- Donating time and/or money to Indigenous organizations.
- Support Indigenous-led grassroots movements.
- Focus on the positivity of who Indigenous people are today.
Land acknowledgment is a great way to honor Indigenous people and show respect to the land that the festival now occupies. The practice dates back centuries in many Native nations, and it is still commonly used today!
It is pretty cool thanking the original people for looking after and protecting the land that you now get to enjoy while at a music festival. After you complete your land acknowledgment, go and celebrate the beautiful day ahead of you!
Check out this website to learn which native land your next music festival is on here!
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