- Details
- By Jenna Kunze
Native Land, an Indigenous-led nonprofit in Canada with an interactive website and mobile app, aims to answer one of the world’s most important questions: Whose land am I on?
Native Land’s world map allows users to input their address and see the Native territories, languages and treaties pre-dating colonization in the area they reside.
“For Native Land Digital, what we are mapping is more than just a flat picture. The land itself is sacred, and it is not easy to draw lines that divide it up into chunks that delineate who ‘own’ different parts of land,” Native Land’s website reads. “In reality, we know that the land is not something to be exploited and ‘owned’, but something to be honoured and treasured. However, because of the complexities of history, the kind of mapping we undertake [sic] is an important exercise, insofar as it brings an awareness of the real lived history of Indigenous peoples and nations in a long era of colonialism.”
The nonprofit was founded in 2014 as a hobby project by Victor Temprano, whose online bio defines him as “a settler who grew up in Okanagan territory in central British Columbia.” The company became incorporated in 2018, and last year hired Indigenous Executive Director Christine McRae (Omàmìwininì Madaoueskarini Anishinaabekwe). In addition to McRae, the company is guided by a Native board of directors and supported with funding from the Kalliopeia Foundation and Vancity Credit Union.
The nonprofit ultimately aims to further conversations about colonization through a variety of resources. Their website provides a free teacher's guide, Territory Acknowledgement Generator and lists of territories, languages and treaties.
Perhaps most importantly, the website acknowledges that the maps are intended to be a starting point for community involvement and conversation. Native Land’s team encourages visitors to offer missing information, corrections, or additional ideas.
“This map does not represent or intend to represent official or legal boundaries of any Indigenous nations,” a homepage disclaimer reads. “To learn about definitive boundaries, contact the nations in question.”
Land acknowledgements are noted on the website as a way to insert historical awareness of Indigenous presence into everyday life. “However, these acknowledgements can easily be a token gesture rather than a meaningful practice.
Native Governance Center, an Indigenous nonprofit that supports Native leaders, includes helpful tips on their website for preparing and thinking about land acknowledgement statements. Those steps include: start with self reflection on your intention, do your homework—including correct pronunciation—use appropriate language—”don’t sugarcoat the past. Use terms like ‘genocide’, ‘ethnic cleansing’, ‘stolen land’, and ‘forced removal’ to reflect actions taken by colonizers”—and use past, present and future tense.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Native News Weekly (December 22, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Washington Post Reports Indian School Deaths are Three Times What the Federal Government Reported
Federal Government Shutdown Averted: How Native Americans in Congress Voted
Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?
Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.
Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today.
Right now, your support goes twice as far. Thanks to a generous $35,000 matching fund, every dollar you give during December 2024 will be doubled to protect sovereignty and amplify Native voices.
No paywalls. No corporate owners. Just independent, Indigenous journalism.
