Territory Acknowledgement & Understanding our Travel Destinations
Many of the destinations we visit are traditional homelands of Indigenous Peoples. As a company committed to conservation and preservation of our fragile environment, we recognize there is a great deal we can learn from Indigenous communities in how we engage with and care for the natural world. We know that Indigenous communities have a long and rich history of proven resilience, resistance, and land stewardship and continue to fight today for the positive, sustainable treatment of the environment. We acknowledge these communities and honor their legacies, their lives, and their descendants. By so doing, we hope to raise awareness about their history, culture, and continued disenfranchisement. For those of us who are non-indigenous people, we welcome the opportunity to be allies in the struggle to realize justice for Indigenous populations.
An important part of this conversation is an acknowledgement of the history and legacy of colonialism, especially settler colonialism that has included the taking of land inhabited by Indigenous Peoples. Through this process, colonial societies have benefited greatly, yet there is either a reluctance to recognize this, or outright denial. This has contributed to a longstanding effort to erase Indigenous
Peoples’ history and culture, which, in its most extreme, has included the displacement and genocide of Indigenous populations worldwide. By opening the door to this conversation, there is potential to inspire us all to continue learning about these issues and participate in actions to correct the continued disenfranchisement of Indigenous populations today.
We recognize that while territorial acknowledgments are an important first step, their value is limited if there is not corresponding intentional and thoughtful action to address both colonial history and current structures that continue this disenfranchisement.
“If we think of territorial acknowledgments as sites of potential disruption, they can be transformative acts that to some extent undo Indigenous erasure. I believe this is true as long as these acknowledgments discomfit both those speaking and hearing the words. The fact of Indigenous presence should force non-Indigenous peoples to confront their own place on these lands.” – Chelsea Vowel, Métis, Beyond Territorial Acknowledgements
As a company and community, we are at the beginning of our own journey of fuller understanding. Part of this is having this conversation with our staff, our partners, and those who travel with us. It includes an effort to hire more Indigenous people in our organization. We are developing outreach programs with Native youth in the American West including training designed to create a path towards jobs as professional guides.
We also provide resources for our guests to learn more about the Indigenous homelands they are visiting. Indigenous populations are thriving in many parts of the world, while in others, they are struggling to maintain their land and identity. To recognize and honor the people of the lands we visit, we’ve indicated (or soon will), on each of the trips on our website, the Indigenous populations who have, or do, live there today.
In this process, we must recognize the limitations of our participation in Indigenous culture, spirituality, and ways of living, even as allies. We must engage respectfully, be prepared to be uncomfortable, and be consistent. This is the beginning of our pledge to help create a more just, equitable and thriving world and we invite you to join us in this endeavor. Territory Acknowledgement is one of ROW’s stated values in our Mission, Vision, and Values. We invite you to read the full text on our websites.