Boozhoo! (Hello), we want to take a moment to acknowledge the history of the area and land where we are.
What is land acknowledgement?
To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial.
We know that acknowledgement is a small gesture and must be paired with informed action. We strive to recognize and continually support and advocate for the sovereignty of the Native nations in this territory and beyond.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that our Agency and work are on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of Ojibwe, Dakota, and other Indigenous people. We recognize, support and advocate for the sovereignty of these nations in this territory and beyond. By offering this land acknowledgement, we affirm tribal sovereignty, honor treaties, and will hold ourselves accountable to the American Indian people and nations.
KOOTASCA Community Action Inc. is located within the homeland of the Mississippi Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) nation. We pay our respect to elders both past and present who have stewarded this land throughout the generations, including the nations of Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Bdewakantuwan (Mdewakanton), and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ.
Our Service Area
KOOTASCA serves the people of Koochiching and Itasca Counties which is located between the tribal lands of Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
We acknowledge that we are located on land ceded in the Treaty of Washington, commonly known as the 1855 Treaty, and the 1866 Treaty with the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. These treaties affirm the reserved rights doctrine and the inalienable rights of Ojibwe & Chippewa people to uphold their interminable relationship to the landscape.
Miigwech (thank you) for taking the time to read about this important information!
“The Dakota and Ojibwe relinquished millions of acres through treaties with the United States. This map shows the dates of the principal land cession treaties, the extent of the land loss, and the location of present-day Ojibwe reservations and Dakota communities.” – Map and excerpt courtesy of Why Treaties Matter.