Our Land Acknowledgement
Hunger Intervention Program acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Duwamish people. We honor with gratitude the Duwamish people of past and present, who have stewarded the land that we occupy for time immemorial.
As an organization striving to create food security for all, we acknowledge that food sovereignty requires the end of oppressive colonial structures.
This acknowledgement does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities but serves to honor the land we are on, as well as the people, cultures, and foodways it has nurtured.
What is a Land Acknowledgement?
“IN COUNTRIES SUCH AS NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, AND AMONG TRIBAL NATIONS IN THE U.S., it is commonplace, even policy, to open events and gatherings by acknowledging the traditional Indigenous inhabitants of that land. While some individuals and cultural and educational institutions in the United States have adopted this custom, the vast majority have not. Together, we can spark a movement to change that.
We call on all individuals and organizations to open public events and gatherings with acknowledgment of the traditional Native inhabitants of the land.
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. Imagine this practice widely adopted: imagine cultural venues, classrooms, conference settings, places of worship, sports stadiums, and town halls, acknowledging traditional lands. Millions would be exposed—many for the first time—to the names of the traditional Indigenous inhabitants of the lands they are on, inspiring them to ongoing awareness and action.”
– From https://usdac.us/nativeland November 2024
History, Connection to the Land Where We Live, Work, and Serve Food
The Coast Salish-speaking peoples have lived in what is present-day Western Washington and SW British Columbia for more than 10,000 years. Their territory included the lands bordering the Salish Sea-Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, the Gulf Islands, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Strait of Georgia, as well as the Pacific coast of Washington and northern Oregon. Specifically, the Duwamish people have been in the Seattle/Greater King County area since time immemorial.
Since the arrival of European-American immigrants to today’s Seattle, there have been broken treaties and attempted genocide. These colonial efforts were taken to remove Native people from the land. Due to these actions, Native traditions, knowledge, and foodways were desecrated and knowledge lost.
Understanding the Duwamish Fight for Recognition
In 1925 the Duwamish tribe brought a suit against the government which received a positive judgment in 1934 which resulted in a settlement from the government in the form of $64 per tribal member in 1971. That is the only compensation the Duwamish people have received from the history of genocide and displacement.
The Duwamish Tribe was promised Federal Recognition 167 years ago with the Treaty of Point Elliott and still has not received it. The Duwamish Tribe has been seeking this recognition and recently filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the Department of the Interior. The importance of Federal recognition lies in the rights of self-government and receiving certain federal benefits, services, and protections. HIP supports the Duwamish effort for Federal Recognition.