Many of the offerings through Guided in Nature take place in the Greater Baltimore Region. As I stand with my feet connected to this earth, I acknowledge that these grounds are the traditional unceded land of the Piscataway and Susquehannock Nations. The children of these nations played where my children now play. The families and communities thrived as one with nature, as this was and is their home. I acknowledge the history of coerced relocation associated with colonialism, and with great reverence and care, I acknowledge the deep and lasting impacts this continues to have on the descendants of these tribes.
Although the roots of my heritage are not the same, I honor the indigenous wisdom and the legacy of connectedness passed down through generations, which inspires reciprocity. I commit to honoring the land through generous stewardship and encourage visitors to do the same by caring for the land, disposing properly of waste, and nurturing as we are nurtured in these spaces.
As we gather here today full of hope and expectations for our own descendants, let’s also pay reverence and offer gratitude to the ancestors who tended this land before us. So much about being fully present is acknowledging that there was a past and there is a future. Thank you for taking this time to honor the native tribes who cared for this land and thank you for taking care of this land and its inhabitants during your future visits.
To learn more about the history of the land you call home, please visit Native-Land.ca.
“The Earth does not belong to us: we belong to the Earth. Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”
– Words of Chief Seattle, a Duwamish leader