Indigenous History and the Land

Carnelian Web Services is located on the Haldimand Tract, part of the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. So let’s unpack what that means.

The Haldimand Tract is a tract of land purchased by the government of Canada from the Mississaugas of the Credit and given to the Haudenosaunee:

On 25 October 1784, Sir Frederick Haldimand, the governor of the province Quebec, signed a decree that granted a tract of land to the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), also known as the Six Nations, in compensation for their alliance with British forces during the American Revolution (1775–83). This tract of land, known as the Haldimand Grant or Haldimand Tract, extended for 10 km on both sides of the Grand River (southwestern Ontario), from its source to Lake Erie.

– Haldimand Proclamation, Canadian Encyclopedia

The Mississaugas of the Credit are a subgroup of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) people.

Believing they would be sharing the land with newcomers, the Mississaugas willingly entered into the early treaties. However, they soon discovered that the Crown considered the treaties outright land purchases. Inundated by Loyalist refugees, including 2,000 Haudenosaunee Loyalists, the Mississaugas soon saw their land base diminished. In addition, their traditional economy collapsed as the arrival of the newcomers rapidly depleted fish and game stocks.

– Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Canadian Encyclopedia

Neither the Mississaugas nor the Haudenosaunee ever received full compensation for these lands. Many of the Mississaugas ended up relocating to Northern Ontario, and some of them received compensation for the Toronto Purchase, but the sum agreed upon was nowhere near the current real estate value of Toronto.

Why acknowledge the land?

It is important to acknowledge that we are living and working on stolen land. This draws attention to the ongoing theft of Indigenous lands and resources, and the ongoing marginalization and oppression of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Writing a land acknowledgement

When you are writing a land acknowledgement, find out the history of the area where you live. Don’t just copy a land acknowledgement from another business or institution. Consider what you want to draw attention to, and what you’re going to do to promote Indigenous land rights once you have written it.

Be specific

A lot of local businesses use a land acknowledgement that references the Dish With One Spoon Treaty, but it was pointed out to me by a member of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation that the Dish With One Spoon was a treaty between the Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee, not between settlers and First Nations, and it was so long ago that its exact meaning is disputed. He said it was better to reference the actual treaty that governs the relationship, and the specific First Nation that owns the land where you reside, rather than a vague reference to the wider region.

Check out our Land Acknowledgement for more Indigenous resources.