Land Acknowledgment

As 21st century dancers who move with the ancestors and spirits in the places inhabited by the people who have danced before us, we take this moment to honor and acknowledge our indebtedness to the Mound Builders, the Wyandot, Seneca-Cayuga, and the Erie peoples who originally lived in the area we now call Oberlin. Recognizing the wisdom of the elders, we extend our gratitude for their knowledge of the earth and sky, water and trees that support our presence on this land. The Dance Department rejoices in the progressive, abolitionist history of Oberlin College while also recognizing the legacy of ongoing harm perpetuated by its colonialist roots as a settler enterprise involved in the forced removal and genocide of indigenous peoples over the course of American history. This acknowledgment is one piece of a larger commitment to working to dismantle and hold ourselves accountable for the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism.