The Township of Russell finds itself located on Iroquois (Haudenosaunee), Algonquin (Anishinabewaki and Omàmìwininìwag) and Mohawk (Kanienʼkehá꞉ka) traditional and unceded territory.
In 2022, the Township of Russell began offering an Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement at the beginning of each Council and Committee meeting.
Acknowledgement Statement
“We acknowledge that we are on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe and the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat and Kanienʼkehá꞉ka Peoples.
We acknowledge our shared obligation to respect, honour and sustain these lands and the natural resources contained within.”
This statement was formed by the Community, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The Township recognizes that many terms may be preferred over others, and that preferred terms can change over time. The Township's practice will be to honour Indigenous Peoples in our community with the terms they wish to be identified.
What is a Land Acknowledgement?
Territorial Land Acknowledgment shows recognition of and respect for Indigenous Peoples.
Acknowledging the land is an Indigenous protocol used to express gratitude to those who have cared for, lived on, and maintained relationships with these lands, both historically and presently.
Strengthening relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples is important to municipal governments and their residents across Ontario.
Traditional Territory
First Nations territories do not typically align to provincial and municipal demarcations and normally overlap each other. This is the case with the Township of Russell, which finds itself located on Iroquois (Haudenosaunee), Algonquin (Anishinabewaki and Omàmìwininìwag), and Mohawk (Kanienʼkehá꞉ka) traditional and unceded territory.
A map of the First Nations lands where our Township is located is on the Native Land website.