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MSAC Land Acknowledgement Project Receives Historical Update

A map of historically erased tribes, part of a historical update that is now available at the MSAC Land Acknowledgement Project webpage.

Maryland Traditions, the traditional arts program of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), is pleased to announce that a historical update to the MSAC Land Acknowledgement Project is now available online as a public resource. This update includes a map and information on historically erased tribes.

Click below to view the updated project materials.

“Land acknowledgments” are statements that recognize Indigenous peoples dispossessed of their land and/or relationships with land by settler colonists. In the United States, land acknowledgement statements are an increasingly popular practice in arts and cultural heritage contexts. Researching and delivering these statements educates audiences and refutes the inaccurate yet widely-held idea that Native people no longer exist in the place now known as Maryland. 

Land acknowledgement statements are seen as an effective and ethical way to begin acknowledging Indigenous sovereignty, begin correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture, and begin inviting and honoring the truth.

Maryland Traditions staff published the MSAC Land Acknowledgement Project in 2022 in response to constituent requests and in consultation with previous American Indian grantees and the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs. Staff researched best practices for delivering land acknowledgement statements and, most importantly, engaged in compensated consultations with tribal leaders and elders in Maryland-located American Indian Tribes. 

This new historical update – created in response to constituent requests – provides information on fifteen tribes who were erased or genocided in the 1600s, 1700s, or 1800s. These tribes include the Acquintanacsuck of modern-day St. Mary’s and Charles counties, the Tockwogh of present-day Kent County, and an unnamed tribe(s) of present-day Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties and Baltimore City. Staff conducted research into newly accessible archival materials at the Maryland State Archives’ Mayis Indigenous Records Database, and consulted with a tribally-connected and -respected archaeologist and with tribal elders. 

A map and information on historically-erased tribes joins previously available public materials on the MSAC Land Acknowledgement Project webpage, including land acknowledgement statements and maps for the lands of each of the tribes who consulted on the project. 

A “Land Acknowledgement Project Overview and Resource Guide” document is also available. In addition to land acknowledgement statements and maps on living and historically erased tribes, the guide features explanations of best practices for creating and delivering land acknowledgements, tribal histories, and pronunciation guides. It also contains a “Key Concepts” section, which explains culturally-specific information to help constituents more easily create land acknowledgements, and an “Additional Resources” section listing books, articles, and archival collections for additional study. 

Tribal consultants reviewed and approved tribal materials for cultural accuracy. 

Questions?

Contact MSAC Folklife Specialist Ryan Koons at ryan.koons@maryland.gov or 410.767.6568.

The Maryland State Arts Council is committed to making sure all Marylanders can access its programs and services. For application assistance, please contact the appropriate Program Director. Guests with further accessibility questions or who require accommodations may fill out the Accommodations Request Form or contact the MSAC Office Secretary at msac.commerce@maryland.gov.

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