10/09/2023
Today is Indigenous Peoples Day.
This country has a long and saddening history. Today I want to acknowledge the beautiful nations and tribes that once occupied the land that my family and I inhabit, but continue to survive and thrive despite the atrocities and cultural genocide that was forced on them.
I acknowledge that the land that I occupy, the land of my ancestors since 1795, is the ancestral homeland of the Kaskaskia (Currently the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma - Chief Craig Harper), the Osage Nation (Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear), and the Shawandasse Tula / Shawanwaki / Shawnee (Shawnee Tribal Chief Ben Barnes).
With this acknowledgment, I seek to put in the work it takes to repair the broken ties to my Indigenous brothers and sisters brought on by the treaties that stole the land from them (in my case, Cession 11 of the Treaty of Greenville) and the colonization that sought to rob them of their culture and heritage. I will lift up the voices of Current Indigenous Peoples, of all nations, and teach my children that we will support and aid the Peoria Tribe, the Osage Nation, and the Shawnee Tribe to the best of our ability. This is not about me or my children. It is forever about learning and growing and giving back to the beautiful people who have persevered despite our attempts to eradicate, and how to make amends for generations of hurt.
Today is Indigenous Peoples Day, but we will celebrate you every day.
www.native-land.ca
www.nativegov.org
www.peoriatribe.org
www.osagenation-nsn.gov
www.Shawnee-nsn.gov