Building Allyship Series: land Acknowledgements as Metaphor: Allyship and Land Back Movements

land acknowledgements are frequently given at official Cornell events, but what do they represent? We will dive into the performative aspects of land acknowledgements and how land-grant universities such as Cornell have a responsibility to move beyond these statements for Indigenous communities. Shifting the focus from acknowledgment to action, speakers will discuss ways students, non-Indigenous communities, and institutions can localize allyship. Such actions range from citing Indigenous thinkers, to supporting local Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ sovereignty and centering Indigenous relationships with the Land. We hope to amplify the voices of Indigenous students at Cornell, the members of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ, and the larger Haudenosaunee confederacy, as well as suggest actions to support Indigenous communities.