Land Acknowledgement, Vancouver Comic Arts Festival

The Vancouver Comic Arts Festival acknowledges that our work takes place on the stolen ancestral and traditional territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) peoples. We recognize their sovereignty, as there are no treaties on these lands. As comic creators and enthusiasts, it is important to understand the history of the spaces we occupy and the ongoing effects of our presence.

Settlers have a responsibility to reflect on and acknowledge the history and ongoing legacy of colonialism, and understand our complicity in upholding its structure and practices. Indigenous Peoples from these lands have endured systematic tactics of colonization, including forced relocation from their homes and onto reserves, the destruction of familial units and traditional knowledge transfer through the enforcement of Residential Schools, the targeted erasure of culture and language, and the resulting intergenerational traumas. Additionally, Indigenous Peoples continue to fight to protect their lands and waters from settler colonialism and capitalism, and face disproportionate marginalization, impoverishment, harmful stereotyping, and an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Despite these and many more injustices, the Indigenous Peoples of this area continue to thrive, create, and build community on these lands today.

We recognize that land acknowledgements are just a small portion of rebuilding trust with the peoples of these host nations. As uninvited guests on their land, we are committed to building good relations based on respect, humility, and consent going forward.

We will continue developing these relationships and work to increase meaningful support and programming for Indigenous creators in the comic arts community.

Additional resources:

https://www.musqueam.bc.ca/ – Official website of the Musqueam Indian Band.
https://www.squamish.net/ – Official website of the Squamish Nation.
https://twnation.ca/ – Official website of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action – To redress the legacy of residential schools and advance reconciliation, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada produced a report of 94 concrete measures and strategies that governments, institutions, and all Canadians can take to support Indigenous peoples. More information from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation can be found on their official website.
Native Land – the “Native Land” website is a resource designed to help individuals learn more about the Indigenous territories and languages that exist around Turtle Island/North America.