Without giving too much detail, what are your thoughts on including a short land acknowledgement at the start of a wedding ceremony (a white couple)?

I've done research into the ancestral lands that the ceremony will be held in, but I'm wondering if I should really be communicating with a local tribal leader before developing the language.

It would only be a few sentences, so I'm not sure if I'm overthinking it. Thanks.

Edit: Thanks for all the feedback. Won't be including an acknowledgement.

  • cilantrofellow [any]
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    edit-2
    2 years ago

    I think it’s a well-intentioned gesture to consider but realize more than anything that gestures are not restorative on their own. Like others have mentioned if you want to couple it with something like a donation or request attendees to donate to one of a list of charities including tribal ed funds or something in lieu of gifts then sure. Also make sure to write it yourself critically and personally. It’s not something to paste onto the front of an otherwise unrelated ceremony.

    There is a growing body of text that is skeptical of land acknowledgements from the indigenous perspective. If you want to do it because you have seen other left leaning or progressive people doing it think about what it does aside from signaling your politics to attendees.

    A better thing might be to place it at the bottom of a wedding program and encourage people to donate, as you have done. That accomplishes the same thing without looking performative.