Land Acknowledgement

The EFAO office is situated on the ancestral homelands of the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Chonnonton, who the Wendat called the Attawandaron/Attawandaronk meaning “people of a slightly different language”.

This territory is within the lands protected by the Dish With One Spoon wampum (1701) between the Anishinaabek and Haudenosaunee Confederacy.  Guelph resides on the Between the Lakes Treaty No. 3 (originally signed in 1784 and clarified in 1792) between the Mississaugas of the Credit and the Crown and is directly adjacent to the Haldimand Tract (1784), a treaty between the Crown and the Six Nations of the Grand River. EFAO’s work ranges across both unceded territories and 46 recognized treaties. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous peoples whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society.

 

Questions to Guide the Process of Reconciliation

We recognize the longstanding relationship between the land and all Indigenous peoples, which precedes the establishment of Ontario and Canada and is affected by the violence of colonialism, capitalism and ongoing racism. By living here, working here and using the resources of this place, we now participate in this experience. As we work to be accountable and to take action on reconciliation, we invite you to reflect on these questions with us:

  • How do we educate ourselves on our responsibilities to this land and the Indigenous peoples who have always been here?
  • What does it mean to be honest and generous Treaty Land Inhabitants?
  • How can we as individuals and EFAO as an organization support Indigenous food systems and communities?

EFAO encourages all its members to learn the history of the land we are in relationship with by visiting: whose.land and native-land.ca.

Pronunciation

Anishinaabek (Ah-nish-in-a-bek)

Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-no-show-nee)

Attawandaron (Add-a-won-da-run) 

Chonnonton (Chi-nawn-ton) 

Adapted from

  1. YoungFarmers.org Racial Equity Toolkit 
  2. Fairfield Gonzales Community Association