Land Acknowledgment
The Mountaineers acknowledge that we are on the lands of the Pacific Northwest Indian tribes, who live here and steward these lands and waters as they have since time immemorial. As we pursue our mission, we strive to listen to and amplify Native traditions and values through respectful engagement.
From craggy summits to windswept beaches, Washington’s lands and waters provide inspiration, connection, and transformative experiences. Since our founding, The Mountaineers community has been connected through a shared passion for the natural world and a commitment to leave outdoor spaces better than we found them. However, it is important to recognize that the places where we gather, learn, and recreate are the lands of Native peoples who have lived here since time immemorial. These peoples are still here and maintain strong cultural and legally-protected connections to their ancestral lands.
One small way that we can begin to recognize and reflect on the fact that we are on Native lands is through the process of land acknowledgment. Land acknowledgments recognize and respect Native peoples’ historical and ongoing stewardship of and connection to the land. They can be a first step toward repairing the harm and trauma historically endured by Native peoples.
Land acknowledgments are especially important for an outdoor organization like The Mountaineers. Our programs, courses, and trips occur on land taken from Native peoples. Land acknowledgment statements are a first step towards addressing this history, honoring tribal sovereignty and stewardship, and striving towards deeper relationships with Native communities.
Several years ago, members of our staff and volunteer community began to incorporate the practice of land acknowledgment into meetings and events. Over the last year, our staff and volunteers consulted with local tribal leaders to craft an organizational land acknowledgment statement.
Our statement is meant as a starting place for staff, volunteer leaders, and members to shape their own personal acknowledgment to fit the circumstances in which it will be shared. This statement is also meant to inspire deeper reflection about how we can each recreate respectfully on Native land. You can learn more about land acknowledgment and our new organizational statement in this blog post.
Land acknowledgment is just a first step in a longer process of deeper tribal engagement by The Mountaineers as we seek to better honor and respect the first stewards of our region’s public lands and waters. We plan to share more educational resources to support our community’s important journey of learning and our organizational efforts to go beyond land acknowledgment.