LibGuides: Indigenizing Columbia College: Home

We Acknowledge

Columbia College acknowledges that we gather, work, and study on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, including xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (TsleilWaututh) Nations. We also want to acknowledge all non-status peoples and members of other tribes who live in Vancouver.

Who are these nations and groups?

Learn more about the First Nations whose territory and presence we acknowledge.

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Originally established to represent the interests of Métis and non-status Indians, this organization now includes all off-reserve status and non-status indigenous people.
Interactive First Nations Map
Curious about who lived where? Wondering about overlapping territories? This map allows you to zoom in and see who once walked and lived in the areas we call home.
Musqueam Nation
"We are traditional hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking people and have descended from the cultural group known as the Coast Salish. Our people moved throughout our traditional territory using the resources the land provided for fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering, to maintain their livelihood. Today, the Musqueam people still use these resources for economical and traditional purposes."
Squamish Nation
"We are the descendants of the Coast Salish Aboriginal Peoples who lived in the present day Greater Vancouver area, Gibson’s landing and Squamish River watershed. The Squamish Nation has occupied and governed our territory since beyond recorded history."
Sto:lo Nation
"S'olh Temexw is the traditional territory of the Stó:lō people. According to our swxoxwiyam, we have lived here since time immemorial. The Stó:lō traditional territory extends from Yale to Langley, BC."
TseilWaututh Nation
"Our oral history tells us up to 10,000 Tsleil-Waututh members lived in our traditional territory, before contact with Europeans. Our ancestors’ survival depended on cycles of hunting, harvesting and preserving foods, and on trade with our neighbours. Originally, our great nation was about 10,000 strong, a distinct Coast Salish nation whose territory includes Burrard Inlet and the waters draining into it.

About Land Acknowledgements

Acknowledgement Statements
CAUT's Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples & Traditional Territory
What is the significance of acknowledging the Indigenous land we stand on?
From CBC News: "It's a tradition that has dated back centuries for Indigenous people, but for many non-Indigenous Canadians, officially recognizing the territory or lands we stand on is a fairly new concept."
Acknowledgement of Indigenous Territories
SFU's Public Interest Research Group explains what it means to acknowledge land.

Acknowledgements are Just the Beginning

Indigenization for Newcomers

Video: Welcome to Our Homeland
This video attempts to introduce the vast richness of Indigenous people’s values and views while highlighting some of the many complex historical events that have shaped this country and the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
First Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers
First Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers aims to fill the need for clear information in simple language about the First Peoples in Vancouver.
Surrey First Peoples Guide for Newcomers
The Surrey First Peoples Guide for Newcomers is a response to the call for accurate resources on First Peoples in Canada from an Indigenous perspective. This guide provides information on the traditional protocols, histories, and current realities of Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit people in Canada, and address common misconceptions about the First People of this land.
Native Land Digital
Native Land Digital strives to create and foster conversations about the history of colonialism, Indigenous ways of knowing, and settler-Indigenous relations, through educational resources such as our map and Territory Acknowledgement Guide.

Indigenization Project Resources

About the Foundations Guides:
"These guides are the result of the Indigenization Project, a collaboration between BCcampus and the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. The project was supported by a steering committee of Indigenous education leaders from BC universities, colleges, and institutes, the First Nations Education Steering Committee, the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association, and Métis Nation BC. These guides are intended to support the systemic change occurring across post-secondary institutions through Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation." -- Description from BCcampus