Updated Land Acknowledgement now available for community

A more inclusive and welcoming Land Acknowledgement has been released by the City of Lethbridge today following changes at local Indigenous organizations in the city.

“The updated acknowledgement upholds the intention of paying respect to the Blackfoot people who are the traditional owners of the land Lethbridge is located on, Sikoohkotoki,” says Echo Nowak, Indigenous Relations Specialist. “It now provides more inclusive language that is welcoming to all Indigenous peoples who call Lethbridge home.”

The updated acknowledgement now reads, “The City of Lethbridge acknowledges that we are gathered on the lands of the Blackfoot people of the Canadian Plains and pays respect to the Blackfoot people past, present and future while recognizing and respecting their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship to the land. The City of Lethbridge offers respect to the Metis and all who have lived on this land and made Lethbridge their home.”

Lethbridge City Council approved an updated Land Acknowledgement in early July. Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee (RLAC) created and put forward the new language for Council’s approval. Committee members provide a range of perspectives from across the community with varying roles in advocating and representing Indigenous experiences and knowledge. Local Indigenous organizations provided input on the updated language, ahead of the July Council meeting.

The updated acknowledgement is an open community resource for people, organizations and businesses to further education and acknowledgement of Indigenous peoples in Lethbridge.

“We encourage everyone in the community to consider using the updated acknowledgement,” says Cyndi Bester Crane, Co-Chair of RLAC. “One way we’ve seen organizations use the acknowledgement is by playing the Oki video before their meetings or events. It helps to remind people about the land we’re fortunate enough to call home, but it also helps to educate and welcome visitors to the city by acknowledging the proud Indigenous history of Sikoohkotoki.”

A limited number of window cling stickers are now available at the Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown BRZ for anyone in the community to use.

“Members of the Downtown BRZ are welcome to pick up their window clings for use in their storefronts,” says Sarah Amies, Executive Director of the Downtown BRZ. “The Downtown BRZ strives to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone to enjoy and this updated resource aligns with our goals.”

The City’s Oki video was originally launched in 2021, aligning with City Council’s adoption of Oki as the City’s official greeting. The updated video can be found on the City’s YouTube channel or at lethbridge.ca. The video was created for the community as a resource to further education and awareness about the Indigenous history of Sikoohkotoki (Lethbridge).

For Public Inquiries:

Call 311 | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.