The whys and wherefores of acknowledging those who were here before us
You may have noticed something new at the end of many church emails and on a screen before service on Sundays. It goes something like this: ”Sanctuary CRC would like to acknowledge that we operate from the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.”
Why are we doing this?
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of reconciliation; reconciliation between a holy God and sinful humanity, and reconciliation between humans – who in Christ, by grace, and through faith, are brought into one family: the church. Racism is an affront to this gospel of reconciliation. The invisibility of the native peoples in our communities is a form of racism. Acknowledging their past and present presence in this place is one way of spotlighting their visibility and pushing back against their marginalization.
In addition, in 2016, our denomination (the Christian Reformed Church) at Synod rejected “The Doctrine of Discovery”, a concept from the 1500s that “gave” Europeans the right to any land they found because it was empty of Christians.
This Calvin January Series presentation is an excellent introduction to this doctrine and its ramifications.
And if you would like to learn more about what Synod said and did, here are a couple of links:
- “Creating a New Family,” Doctrine of Discovery Task Force
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“Synodical Committee Rejects Doctrine of Discovery,” The Banner (Jan 2016)
Acknowledging the Duwamish is one way of saying we agree with Synod and wish to make amends for past oversights.
But why the Duwamish? Isn’t it a river in the south part of Seattle? It is. It takes its name from the Duwamish Tribe who are the people who were here when European settlers arrived. You can read overviews of their history here and here.
The tribe currently does not enjoy federal recognition for a variety of political reasons which you can explore at the websites above. In light of that, the support of the broader community is vital to the tribe. They invite our support through visits to The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center (4705 W Marginal Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106) and through financial contributions at https://www.realrentduwamish.org.
In summary, a land acknowledgement is a common way of raising awareness that this place is still home to native peoples. It affirms our rejection of the doctrine of discovery, and seeks reconciliation and the redress of past wrongs. It is but one way that we are seeking to follow Christ in this ministry of reconciliation we’ve been given.
“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.” https://usdac.us/nativeland