3 Major Land Back Wins This Week
You might hear your Indigenous friends talking about their fight to win their ancestral land back. Not only does the land back movement honor the people who were here before settlers and who were forced to leave their homes in often terrible ways, it is also incredibly important for the environment. These tribes continue to hold extensive knowledge and capability of stewarding their ancestral lands. They also live within cultures that value doing so.
Here are three major land back wins that happened this week in March of 2022, shared in part from posts that are displayed on @nativelandnet. Follow them for more Indigenous land news and check out their website to see whose land you’re on right now. This article is being written from the native lands of the Osage and Shawandasee Tula tribes.
Chickahominy Re-Acquires Land Through Grant
The Chickahominy tribe was able to re-acquire their ancestral land for $3.5 million through a government grant.
“Helping to reconnect the tribe with these lands and waters provides additional benefits such as supporting resilient ecosystems and improving water quality in the bay,” said outgoing Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Ann Jennings in an article on Indian Country Today.
Read more about this historic acquisition on Indian Country Today.
Historic Ruling About Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Land
On March 14, 2022 the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York ruled that New York State’s purchase of reservation lands from the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in the 1800s was illegal, violating the federal Non-Intercourse Act.
“To say that we are pleased is an understatement,” reflected Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Chief Beverly Cook in a press release about the ruling. “We should all be proud of the perseverance that our recent and ancient ancestors displayed, who stood fast in their determination to protect our lands. We stand in the footprints of our parents and grandparents who fought relentlessly to reclaim our land that was illegally taken. The process will continue to require patience and critical thinking, as we seek to unwind the many complexities of a final remedy and settlement of our land claim.”
Read more about this historic ruling on Native News Online.
The Konkow ValleyBand of Maidu Re-Acquires 10.72 Acres of Ancestral Lands
The Konkow Valley Band of Maidu has re-acquired 10.72 acres of land in their ancestral lands.
Read more about this historic acquisition on the Chico Enterprise-Record
There is a lot of work to do, but these are exciting developments for tribes who haven’t had access to their ancestral lands for centuries. Land back wins are also wins for all people who respect the earth and enjoy spending time outside.
