Land Acknowledgement

Traditionally named Turtle Island some thousands of years ago, the land upon which our community centre sits is appropriately known as “the Gathering Place”, in the Dish with One Spoon Territory. Spadina – derived from the Anishinaabe word ishpadeena meaning "high hill" or "going up the hill" – is the name of an ancient Indigenous trail. We are grateful for the opportunity to live, work, meet and learn on this territory. May we aspire to learn more about the Indigenous peoples' history, as it is forever intertwined with our own.

Why do we Acknowledge the Land?

To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory we work and live on, and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long-standing history that has brought you to reside on the land and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense or historical context: colonialism is a current and ongoing process, and we need to build the mindfulness of our present participation.