The Land Acknowledgment Ride
Happy to now share with you a new campaign with #namethechange organizers. For the month from Sept 12, 2020 (DK event date) to October 12, 2020 (Indigenous Peoples Day) we are attempting to bring Land Acknowledgement to the forefront of cycling.
Navajo cyclist Renee Hutchins shares with us
"WE MUST CHANGE HOW WE SEE AND RELATE TO THE LAND WE LIVE, WORK, AND RIDE ON. THE HOW CHANGES US. IT SHAPES OUR THINKING, BELIEFS, AND ACTIONS. CREATING A CYCLING INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY THAT IS ANTI-RACIST AND INCLUSIVE TOWARDS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE REQUIRES DISRUPTING THE INVISIBILITY AND ONGOING ERASURE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE."
Read the whole article here: https://www.sram.com/en/life/stories/renee-hutchens
Here are the month long event details, please share widely.
The Land Acknowledgement Ride
Date: September 12 - October 12
About The Land Acknowledgement Ride
The Land Acknowledgement Ride is to bring visibility to Indigenous land and representation to the forefront in cycling. Ride with #NameTheChange campaigners in solidarity with Indigenous peoples and allies to learn more about the land and people of the lands you live, work, and cycle on. Please use this as an opportunity to educate yourself about the original stewards and land before you ride. Take a moment to stop, observe, and share something about what you learned.
Please visit The Land Acknowledgement Ride Facebook group to join wherever you are. Share your rides on social media with #LAR2020 #landacknowledgementride #namethechange.
Why And How Do A Land Acknowledgment
Land acknowledgement is a stepping stone to honoring broken treaty relationships. They are a way that people insert an awareness of Indigenous presence and land rights in everyday life, an actionable step towards legitimate reconciliation. Land Acknowledgement is a personal connection and expression of relationship with the Land. It can also be done at the beginning of ceremonies, lectures, or any public event. It is a way to recognize the history of colonialism, the need for change in settler-colonial societies, and one’s own connection to the Land.
The following is an example of an acknowledgment statement that could be used within the journey of your rides, adjust for your territory acknowledgment:
I/We are gathered on the unceded land of the [ ... ] Peoples. I ask you to join me in acknowledging the [ ... ] community, their elders both past and present, as well as future generations. I acknowledge that [ ... ] was founded upon exclusions and erasures of many Indigenous peoples, including those on whose land this event/ride is located. This acknowledgment demonstrates a commitment to beginning the process of dismantling the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism.
If you aren't sure which community or communities to acknowledge, https://native-land.ca/ is a great initial resource.
Share On Social Media - Join our FB group to share your ride:
Ride from wherever you are with #landacknowledgementride #LAR2020 and #NameTheChange. Share your rides on social media including a land acknowledgment of who’s ancestral lands you ride through, what you’ve learned, and your connection to it. Continue to educate yourself on local treaties, connect to your local tribe, spread awareness of land stewardship and Indigenous representation in the outdoors. Please visit The Land Acknowledgement Ride Facebook group.
Learn more at https://namethechange.com/.
More resources:
https://nativegov.org/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment
http://centerracialjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Honor-Native-Land-Guide.pdf
