Land Acknowledgement
First Light receives many requests to attend events to offer land/territorial acknowledgements. It is an honour to be invited by the community to participate in your gatherings. While we are not always able to attend, we are committed to supporting the community by providing resources that promote respect, reciprocity, and collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals and organizations.
Background
Acknowledging the territory in which a gathering takes place is a demonstration of respect for Indigenous Peoples and our past and present contributions to the province. The acknowledgement is offered to recognize our ancestors and the history of the land that is currently shared by many. It is also offered to emphasize that the lands on which we gather are to be cared for as a shared responsibility of all those who reside in a territory.
As communities search for collective healing and work toward reconciliation, many individuals and organizations are seeking to implement meaningful acts of change to contribute to the process. Opening meetings and public events with a land acknowledgement is a welcomed practice that indicates your commitment as an individual and as an organization to be intentional with your efforts in promoting truth and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Newfoundland and Labrador.
If you have decided to acknowledge the territory in your day-to-day business, we ask that you first reflect on the measures you and your organization are taking to learn about and promote greater understanding of Indigenous histories and cultures and how you are contributing to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Living Land Acknowledgement
You are welcome to share our living land acknowledgement.
Filmed across beloved landmarks in St. John’s – including Signal Hill, Quidi Vidi, and Cape Spear – the Land Acknowledgement video centres Indigenous voice, spirit, and presence right where it belongs.
Spoken entirely in Mi’kmaw, Innu-aimun, and Inuktitut, with English subtitles, the video is a powerful act of Indigenous resurgence. In a place where Indigenous language and ceremony were once silenced, our words now rise with pride and purpose.
As the only Indigenous-led organization in St. John’s, First Light is often asked to deliver land acknowledgments. But this work is more than protocol – it is living truth. It’s an act of visibility, justice, and love for the communities we serve. It reflects our commitment to honouring story and spirit as pathways to systemic change.
After sharing our living land acknowledgement, we encourage you to share the acknowledgement below as a sign of your commitment to being an active participant in the truth and reconciliation process.
This acknowledgement is a sample/suggestion and these acknowledgements can be customized.
As a demonstration of allyship we encourage you to share the ways that you or your organization are actively participating in reconciliation as an acknowledgement of your commitment.
Acknowledgement
St. John’s is home to a rich, diverse, and vibrant urban Indigenous community. Located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Beothuk, the lands and waters in and around the City have traditionally served as a gathering place for the Mi’kmaq. The broader region of Newfoundland and Labrador continues to be home to diverse Indigenous Peoples, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. We honour and pay respect to the past, present, and future caretakers of these territories.