BCIT has been educating and inspiring students for over half a century on these traditional lands and for that we are grateful. We acknowledge the historical reality, the truth, of this land now called Canada and we recognise the contemporary realities of Indigenous people. This relationship has been troubled and must be reconciled. We are deeply committed to working with our partners to address these issues.
The BCIT Indigenous Initiatives & Partnerships (IIP) team consistently receives questions and requests for delivery of ‘land acknowledgements’ at BCIT. We are pleased to see the BCIT community embracing these practices and want to provide faculty, staff, and students with information and resources to support you in your ‘reconcili-actions’.
What you should know
An Indigenous protocol welcome and a land acknowledgement are two distinct practices that reflect the First Peoples of this land and acknowledge Indigenous peoples and their connection to the land.
While both practices share a common goal of recognizing Indigenous presence and history, they are distinctly different.