Land Acknowledgement

The Jackson School of Geosciences community represents people of diverse backgrounds whose work is conducted in many parts of the world. We recognize and express appreciation for the human history of a given place through recognition of its Indigenous inhabitants. For the State of Texas, we make the following Land Acknowledgement:

We would like to acknowledge that we are meeting on the Indigenous lands of Turtle Island, the ancestral name for what now is called North America.

Moreover, (I) We would like to acknowledge the Alabama-Coushatta, Caddo, Carrizo/Comecrudo, Coahuiltecan, Comanche, Kickapoo, Lipan Apache, Tonkawa and Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, and all the American Indian and Indigenous Peoples and communities who have been or have become a part of these lands and territories in Texas.

Source: The Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at UT Austin

Why? Land acknowledgement is considered:

• an expression of gratitude and appreciation for Indigenous people
• a way of honoring Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land for centuries, and
• useful to shed light on the long-standing history associated with a given place and our roles as individuals and communities within that history.

If you would like to use a land acknowledgement statement, the Department of Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) has provided a downloadable PDF file and a downloadable image. 

Research on your own is helpful. For further reading and learning, check out:

• Learn more about land acknowledgments
  • Connect on campus with groups like The Native American and Indigenous Collective (NAIC) at UT.
  • Read about Indigenous communities in the United Statesand in Texas specifically.