We acknowledge that the three partner organizations, The New Victory Theater, ArtsConnection, and Community-Word Project, are located on the traditional territory of Munsee Lenape on the island known as Mannahatta in Lenapehoking, now called Manhattan. We acknowledge the systematic erasure of many Nations, we recognize those still among us, and we commit to the process of dismantling the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism. We also acknowledge the enslaved Africans whose labor built Manhattan during the colonial era and beyond and the harm inflicted upon Black, Indigenous, and People of Color across the country and specifically in New York through systemic forms of oppression.
New York City today is home to over 115,000 intertribal Native American, First Nations and Indigenous peoples, the largest out of any urban city across Turtle Island (known today as North America). New York City is intertribal trade land and under the stewardship of many more Nations. Among them are the Abenaki, Canarsee, Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Manhasset, Marsapeague, Matinecock, Merrick, Mohegan, Mohican, Montauks, Munsee, Nesaquake, Rockaway, Secatogue, Setalcott, Shinnecock, Taíno, Unkechaug and Wappinger.
We pay respect to all Native peoples, past, present and future, and their continuing presence in the homeland, throughout the Indigenous diaspora. We offer our care and gratitude to the Indigenous peoples of many Nations who continue to act as stewards of the land to this day and encourage you to learn more about these vibrant communities among us.
We encourage arts educators to center the artwork and history of Indigenous people in their curricula. New York City educators can find resources, events and exhibitions at The Lenape Center, American Indian Community House, and The National Museum of the American Indian. Additionally, information about Indigenous artists can be found at Redhawk Native American Arts Council. Indigenous artists featured in our Inclusive Curriculum and Showcasing Artists with Disabilities resource include Jen Deerinwater and Marcy Angeles.
This is a living land acknowledgement, and we will continue to revise and strengthen it as needed.
Image credit: map generated with https://native-land.ca/
If you would like to learn more about Land Acknowledgements or the Munsee Lenape please visit:
- Guide to Indigenous Land and Territorial Acknowledgements for Cultural Institutions – Cultural Institutions Guide to Land Acknowledgements
- Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land
- Honor Native Land Guide.pdf
- KNOW THE LAND
- The Stories We Tell: Land Acknowledgements & Indigenous Sovereignty — Center for Story-based Strategy
- A People’s Orientation to a Regenerative Economy
- Indigenous Environmental Network
- Delaware Tribe of Indians Website
- Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians Website
- Delaware Nation at Moraviantown Website
- Ramapough Lenape Nation Website
- Munsee Delaware Indian Nation USA (Facebook)
