I am a grateful settler in Mohkintsis, or Calgary, in Treaty 7 territory in the province of Alberta.
Treaty 7 is the ancestral home of the Siksika Nation, the Piikani Nation, the Kainai Nation, the Îethka Stoney Nakoda Nation, consisting of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Good Stoney First Nations, and the people of the Tsuut’ina Nation. The City of Calgary is also homeland to the historic Northwest Métis and to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, Métis Nation Battle River Territory, Nose Hill Métis District 5 and Elbow Métis District 6.
In a broader Alberta context, I also acknowledge the people and other living beings on the traditional territories of Treaties 4, 6, 8, and 10. These territories are the ancestral homelands of diverse First Nations, Métis and Indigenous people whose ancestors have walked this land since time immemorial and whose histories, languages and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community.
I pay respect to the Indigenous peoples of this land, past and to their cultural heritage, beliefs, and relationship to the land. I am grateful for their stewardship of the land and for the land itself.
Whether we come from near or far, we are creatures of Nature. All that we have and all that we are comes from the land and our fellow beings that live on it.
