How to Do Land Acknowledgement on Zoom?

Land acknowledgements are formal statements usually performed at the beginning of a physical gathering by the host. But what if you are hosting a Zoom meeting? Should you do a land acknowledgement knowing that not all participants are located on the land you want to acknowledge? If yes, what does a land acknowledgement statement look like for virtual meetings?

As virtual meetings and events (e.g. a Zoom call or a Microsoft Teams meeting) become more common, it is important to recognize that even in a digital space, we want to show respect and pay tribute to the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples.

In this blog post, we will explore the importance of land acknowledgement in virtual meetings and provide some templates, examples and best practices for how to do land acknowledgement in Zoom meetings. By following these guidelines, you can help to create a more inclusive and respectful virtual space for your attendees.

Why should you do a land acknowledgement in Zoom meeting?

In essence, land acknowledgements are all about being respectful to Indigenous peoples and their land. This should not be confined by the location you are at.

As long as this idea aligns with your values and you want to raise awareness among the meeting participants, land acknowledgements can be done in Zoom meetings regardless.

However, land acknowledgements have unfortunately become a formality while hosting an event – just to make sure they are “politically correct”.

Therefore, it’s more important to make sure it is genuine, honest, and comes from your heart. Otherwise, it may simply be one of the items that you “check off”.

Who should conduct a land acknowledgement in a Zoom meetings?

The host of a virtual event may conduct a land acknowledgement in the beginning of the meeting. Here are a few occasions where land acknowledgement can be performed when it comes to Zoom meetings:

While you are hosting the event at traditional territories
Your organization or institution is situated in traditional territories, regardless of your physical location
Your organization or institution serves the communities on traditional territories, regardless of your physical location
You want to bring awareness of Indigenous culture and reconciliation
You want to mention your ancestry or the nation or community they belong to

Depending on the situation and the location of your participants, you may need to acknowledge one or more than a group of Indigenous peoples or all the Indigenous peoples, or namely the First Peoples of the land in general.

Land acknowledgement templates for Zoom meetings

Land acknowledgement templates for Zoom meetings provide a way for individuals and organizations to show respect and recognition for the Indigenous lands and peoples.

Done right, it can be a powerful and meaningful way to start virtual events on a positive and inclusive note.

Here are a few templates you can use:

Example 1 – For organizations or institutions located on traditional territories

[I] would like to begin by acknowledging that [your organization] is situated on the traditional unceded territory of [the names of local First Nations communities], which we now call the [name of the city you are on].

Example 2 – For organizations or institutions which serve the communities on traditional territories

“[Your organization] serves the communities of [the location] that are located in the traditional territories of [the names of local First Nations communities] peoples. 

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and honor their welcome to the [participants, e.g. students] who seek knowledge here.”

Example 3 – For projects or works that bring awareness of Indigenous culture and reconciliation

“The reason for our meeting today is to discuss a project that involves natural resources and directly impacts Indigenous communities. 

We acknowledge the contributions of [the name Indigenous community] to the project/work we are involved in today.”

Example 4 – A general land acknowledgement of Indigenous peoples and their relations to the land

“While we meet today on a virtual platform, I would like to begin by acknowledging the Indigenous Peoples of all the lands that we are on today. 

We do this to reaffirm our commitment and responsibility to improving relationships between nations and to improving our own understanding of local Indigenous peoples and their cultures. 

Please join me in a moment of reflection to acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past and to consider how we are and can each, in our own way, try to move forward in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.”

Real-life Land Acknowledgement examples

“Camosun College serves the communities of southern Vancouver Island and the south Gulf Islands that are located in the traditional territories of the Lkwungen (Esquimalt and Songhees), Malahat, Pacheedaht, Scia’new, T’Sou-ke and W̱SÁNEĆ (Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum) peoples. We acknowledge our traditional hosts and honour their welcome and graciousness to the students who seek knowledge here.”
Camosun College (Saanich)

Check out more acknowledgement statements to be used in Canada: Acknowledgement statements: Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples & Traditional Territory

“I would like to begin by acknowledging the Indigenous Peoples of all the lands that we are on today. While we meet today on a virtual platform, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the importance of the lands, which we each call home.

We do this to reaffirm our commitment and responsibility in improving relationships between nations and to improving our own understanding of local Indigenous peoples and their cultures.

From coast to coast to coast, we acknowledge the ancestral and unceded territory of all the Inuit, Métis, and First Nations people that call this land home.

Please join me in a moment of reflection to acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past and to consider how we are and can each, in our own way, try to move forward in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration”
A guide to acknowledging First Peoples and traditional land, Engineers Canada

I (we) wish to acknowledge this land on which the University of Toronto operates. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land.
Acknowledgement provided by Assistant Vice-President & Chief of Protocol, Office of President, University of Toronto

Best practices in land acknowledgements on Zoom

Land acknowledgement is a way of acknowledging and recognizing the Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories on which an event or meeting is taking place. To conduct a land acknowledgement in Zoom meeting diligently, you can follow these best practices:

Begin by introducing the purpose of the land acknowledgement and explaining its significance.
Identify the specific Indigenous nation or nations whose traditional territories the meeting is taking place on. It’s important to do your research and be specific, as there may be multiple Indigenous nations with overlapping or adjacent territories.

Whose Land is an useful interactive map where you can search for Indigenous territories and treaties across North America, New Zealand and Australia.
Acknowledge the Indigenous peoples as the original stewards of the land, and express gratitude for their ongoing contributions to the land and community.
Consider adding a moment of silence or other forms of reflection to allow participants to show their respect and appreciation.
End the acknowledgement by reaffirming your commitment to reconciliation and working towards a more just and equitable future.

Over to you

Hopefully, this article has given you some basic information to start crafting your statement for land acknowledgment in your forthcoming event. If you want to see some real examples in action, check out: Video Resources for Virtual Land Acknowledgements by UBC (University of British Columbia, Canada)

Using Acknowledgement to Enrich our Lives

Practicing acknowledgement can help us to feel heard, understood, and valued. It allows us to build stronger, more meaningful bonds with others.