Land Acknowledgement

Land acknowledgements support the continued efforts of Tribes and Tribal allies to educate non-Natives on how to truly acknowledge the lived history of Native American and Alaska Native people, uphold tribal sovereignty, and learn about the ways of life of the Indigenous communities of the U.S. To learn more, check out this resource.

PeaceHealth has had a presence in the Pacific Northwest dating back to when two young Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace travelled across the country and arrived at a small frontier settlement in 1890. This settlement, like many other settlements across the west, was on the land of Indigenous people (Coast Salish People specifically) who occupied this beautiful area long before our Sisters or even the first European settlers arrived with archaeological evidence indicating that Coast Salish regions have been inhabited since 9000 BC. Unfortunately, this rich history and the westward expansion impact on Indigenous people is not well known nor often, even acknowledged. This lack of knowledge impacts the health of the Tribal communities we serve today. The first step in strengthening relationships and working to create a better future with the Indigenous communities we are privileged to serve is the adoption of a land acknowledgement.

PeaceHealth sought the guidance and help of Children of the Setting Sun Productions (CSSP), a non-profit organization specializing in Coast Salish storytelling. CSSP laid out a path for crafting a land acknowledgement grounded in relationships and understanding. From this guidance, we have come to appreciate that the land acknowledgement is a culmination of many steps taken by PeaceHealth to understand the history of the Native communities we serve. CSSP facilitated vital connections between PeaceHealth and Lummi, Upper Skagit, Nooksack, Samish, Swinomish, and Sauk-Suiattle People. Over many months, CSSP filmed the connections as they were unfolding and produced a short video that tells the story.

• Education for caregivers: In 2021, the St. Joseph Nursing Professional Development Council hosted a continued education session on Indigenous Health presented by Dr. Dakotah Lane, Lummi Nation Tribal Health Clinic Executive Director. Dr. Lane also serves on the St. Joseph Community Health Board member. Dr. Lane will be speaking upcoming at the 2nd Annual North Sound Regional Race and Health Equity Conference.
• In 2022, lower Northwest Network facilities will welcome onboard a new role, called the Native Liaison role which will be embedded in our Social Work and Care Management department. The Native Liaison will work seamlessly across care sites advocating for Tribal members as they navigate care between sites such as emergency care, hospitals, hospice, care in-home, specialty care visits, and childbirth. Connections, trust and relationships will be the foundation from which the Liaison will connect Tribal members with care and support needed for health and healing.
• The Tribal Alliance Group (TAG), a PeaceHealth Caregiver Affinity Group, is actively planning and hosting cultural activities such as celebration of Indigenous People’s Day (October) and recognition of Native American Heritage month (November). Stay tuned for more.
• Inclusion of Native artwork in facilities: our Healing through Arts committee is working with several Coast Salish artists to feature their work in current and future facilities. Peace Island Medical Center, PeaceHealth United General Medical Center, and PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center all feature the works of Coast Salish contemporary artists with more plans to come.

The land acknowledgement should always be shared with great care and attention. Important meetings, gatherings, and conferences would all be appropriate settings for sharing the acknowledgement.

Whenever Tribal leadership or a Tribal elder is in attendance, always first respectfully ask if they would like to welcome the people. Then, a PeaceHealth caregiver who has volunteered would follow with the reading of the land acknowledgement. In PeaceHealth settings, a reflection would be shared after the land acknowledgement. The reader should be comfortable reading it aloud and should be someone who embraces the history behind the land acknowledgement and what it represents.

Land acknowledgements are unique to the area where they are shared. In the communities of Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan Island, we honor the people of Lummi, Upper Skagit, Nooksack, Samish, Swinomish, and Sauk-Suiattle. Tribes have a history since time immemorial of migrating throughout this region making it appropriate to name more than one Tribal community in our acknowledgements (Native lands resource).

Check out this resource guide to continue your learning.

We would like to express thanks to the Tribal Alliance Group (TAG), a PeaceHealth Caregiver Affinity Group, for their participation in the land acknowledgement development process. The lower Northwest Network also has a group of community advisors called the Tribal Health Experience of Care workgroup. This group was founded in 2016 with this purpose: “We meet to promote and help sustain a culture of respect for all individuals and cultural groups in our community who use the health care system, with a focus on the experiences of American Indian/Alaska Native patients and families. We seek to be a collective voice for holding caregivers and providers accountable to their own stated values of inclusion, respect and collaboration. We will do this by understanding people’s stories, viewing data through a social justice lens and offering solutions to unacceptable problems.”