Ojibwe entering the gichi-gami
(artist unknown)
In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day
City of Ann Arbor Land Acknowledgment:
Equity and justice are at the center of our city’s critical principles. In that light, we’d like to take a moment to honor the geographic and historic space we share. We acknowledge that the land the City of Ann Arbor occupies is the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg – (including Odawa, Ojibwe and Boodewadomi) and Wyandot peoples. We further acknowledge that our City stands, like almost all property in the United States, on lands obtained, generally in unconscionable ways, from indigenous peoples. The taking of this land was formalized by the Treaty of Detroit in 1807. Knowing where we live, work, study, and recreate does not change the past, but a thorough understanding of the ongoing consequences of this past can empower us in our work to create a future that supports human flourishing and justice for all individuals.
Lake Michigan is named after the Ojibwe word “mishigami” which means “large water” or “large lake.”
Also known as Michigamme/”mishigamaa” meaning “great water“, also etymology for state of Michigan.
The Great Lakes were called “gichi-gami” (from Ojibwe gichi “big, large, great”; gami “water, lake, sea”).
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“man belongs to the earth, the earth does not belong to man.”
-ojibwe saying
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credits: project.geo.msu.ed, city of ann arbor, ann arbor public libraries
The wisdom of Native Americans should be adopted as policy by every country in the world.
Best wishes, Pete.
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so right, Pete –
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So much to learn if we would listen.
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if only –
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My new book is called “Tullawalla” which is a aboriginal word meaning ‘a place to meet’ or ‘a place to sit’ …
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wonderful, I wondered what it meant
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That’s a wonderful acknowledgement, Beth. I enjoy learning about the indigenous peoples of your area from both you and Charli Mills.
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such a powerful presence
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I stand with you and the community in this recognition. Wonderful post, Beth.
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❤️
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💛
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My great-great Grandfather was an Ottawa Indian Chief! ❤
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How wonderful-
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A sincere apology and declaration! So heartwarming
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Yes ❤️
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🌹🌹🌹
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Happy Indigenous Peoples Day to you, Beth. Lovely art and sentiments for this post! I also live in the center of Indigenous Peoples land, and think about this history often.
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You sure do, and me too
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Beautiful painting ❤️🌈
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It is –
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What a lovely statement of acknowledgment, gratitude, and vision. It amazes me how difficult this is for our nation to do in general. The City of Ann Arbor got it right. Thanks for sharing, Beth.
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Proud of them for that
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Pingback: gichi-gami. – HOODISHCLOTHING@GMAIL.COM
It is so important to honour them. Ours, in Canada is September 30. 🙂
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Wonderful
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🙂
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Such an honest and responsible statement! Usually, it’s the generic “we acknowledge the traditional…”but they went a few steps beyond and humbly took responsibility and showed remorse. Impressive and profound.
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They really did
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Indigenous Peoples Day. Should be every day, but I’ll take it.
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I so agree
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So much Native American history in Colorado, but I’ve never seen an acknowledgment like this. And there certainly should be one.
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There absolutely should
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We can learn so much from the indigenous population.
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We absolutely can
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I so appreciate this acknowledgment by you and by your community.
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I think it’s way past the time to do so –
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The earth is our mother.
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that it is
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Beautiful painting and word painting. We did steal everything and respected nothing. Very sad.
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sad, indeed –
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“On the shores of Gitche Gumee,
Of the shining Big-Sea-Water,
Stood Nokomis, the old woman,
Pointing with her finger westward,
O’er the water pointing westward,
To the purple clouds of sunset.” Until now, I thought Glitch Gumee was a made up thing. Thank you.
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I typed Gitche. WP made it Gilch. Clearly a glitch.
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ironic
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I love how the blanks get filled in a we live out our lives
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It’s amazing, isn’t it? I also noticed (which I didn’t as a kid) the rhythm of this poem is an Indian drum. That Longfellow.
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he was a clever one
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as we live out
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With you all the way on this one. To not acknowledge or condone these travesties toward indigenous people is wrong. I never understand why some take it as a personal attack when people point out these atrocities.
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yes, it boggles my mind in the way some get defensive about it
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I appreciate the lessons.
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I’m always learning
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and teaching!
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We need to give it back. Help those living in poverty and violence because we took their lives from them. It’s horrifying. The Trail of Tears, and all the rest. We need to do something and get rid of Columbus.
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Perfect. ❤️
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❤
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Oh wow – I always thought it would do us good to listening a bit more to those ancestors! They were right about just about everything. In my younger times I visited the Hopi Reservation in NE Arizona and we acquired some typical goods they sold. We were astonished at how knowing and truly down-to-earth they were. Then we thought they were probably also naïf but quickly I realised they were WISE. Only the internet brought us much more knowledge and I am in awe of all those American ancestors’ wisdom.
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Very wise !
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