Grade 7s told to write their own land acknowledgements, reject “ownership”

Students are taught to rethink land ownership as “stewardship” before writing custom land acknowledgements.

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

Ontario students are now being told to write their own “land acknowledgements” as part of a Grade 7 curriculum unit that pushes “stewardship” over “ownership” and contrasts Western ideas of “wealth” with Indigenous teachings about “collective care.”

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board is running an “Indigenous Teachings & Land Acknowledgements” unit. The course takes students through lessons on Indigenous culture, beliefs and environmental teachings, and concludes with a final project where students write their own land acknowledgement.

Throughout the unit, students are encouraged to view the material as a moral and cultural journey.