Land Acknowledgment

NEW Audubon acknowledges what is now northeastern Wisconsin as the ancestral homeland of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, Ho-Chunk Nation, Forest County Potawatomi, Ojibwe Nation, and Odawa Nation. These nations have deep spiritual and cultural connections to the land over which NEW Audubon’s membership area now extends. We are thankful to be able to carry out our mission to protect birds and the places they need within First Nations’ traditional homelands. NEW Audubon appreciates the important natural areas and resources provided not only for the avian community but for our membership community as well. Today, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin inhabit northeastern Wisconsin within our membership area and care for its natural resources. We thank all 12 of Wisconsin’s First Nations for their devoted stewardship and conservation of these lands.

We at NEW Audubon acknowledge the First Nations People of northeastern Wisconsin and are committed to honor and respect First Nations communities.

This statement was adopted by the NEW Audubon Board of Directors on 16 November 2020.

What Is a Land Acknowledgment Statement?

A Land Acknowledgment Statement is a formal declaration that recognizes and respects that First Nations people were the original inhabitants on the land in which we reside today. It is typically read at public events and gatherings. NEW Audubon’s Land Acknowledgment Statement will be read before our annual banquet, Lecture Series presentations, and any other similar events.

Why Do We Have One?

“It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation.” Northwestern University

“Acknowledgment is a simple, powerful way of showing respect and a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture and toward inviting and honoring the truth … Acknowledgment by itself is a small gesture. It becomes meaningful when coupled with authentic relationships and informed action.” U.S. Department of Arts and Culture

Learn More about Northeastern Wisconsin’s First Nations People·

Support First Nations People in Wisconsin and Beyond

Educate yourself on First Nations people (see links above).
Advocate for and actively support First Nations communities. E.g., participate in National Audubon Action Alerts, such as those that oppose drilling in the Arctic, which is home to many First Nations people.
Support businesses owned and managed by First Nations people.
Donate money or volunteer your time to First Nations organizations.
Visit local First Nations cultural museums, such as the Forest County Potawatomi Cultural Center, Library, and Museum, Ho-Chunk Nation Museum and Cultural Center, Menominee Indian Tribe Cultural Museum, and Oneida Museum.
Acknowledge and celebrate Indigenous People’s Day on the second Monday of October and the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9.

Gratitude

We are extremely thankful for the time and energy that the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s First Nations Studies department spent in reviewing NEW Audubon’s Land Acknowledgment Statement.

NEW Audubon Land Acknowledgment Statement