We collectively acknowledge that Tompkins County is located on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫˀ Nation (generally known as the Cayuga Nation) one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (sometimes referred to as the Iroquois Confederacy). Tompkins County was also home to the native nations adopted by the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫˀ ; the Saponi and the Tutelo (Deyodi:ho:nǫˀ), who fled to this region in the mid 1700's, escaping colonization by European immigrants farther South. The History Center and all our programs occur on land that was cared for and called home by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy for over 1,000 years, and the Indigenous cultures ancestral to the Confederacy for time immemorial.
We recognize and continually support the sovereignty of the native nations in this territory and beyond. By offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm tribal sovereignty and will work to hold the The History Center in Tompkins County accountable to Native American peoples and nations. We recognize this to be a living agreement, and much like the George Washington Covenant Belt that was agreed to by representatives of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the United States government in Canandaigua NY in 1794, the "chain" of our friendship needs to be polished regularly to reinforce this community bond.
We are grateful to our community partners in the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫˀ and other Haudenosaunee nations for their support of The History Center in Tompkins County, and their ongoing collaborations with us as we strive to offer authentic programs and exhibits encompassing the full and true history of this region.
The History Center in Tompkins County has submitted this land acknowledgement to traditional Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫˀ leaders for their consideration and approval (2023).
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the Two Row Wampum belt (Gä•sweñta’), which represents the first recorded treaty between the Haudenosaunee and European settlers. Created after a series of meetings in 1613 between the Mohawk and Dutch immigrants. The Two Row belt depicts two purple lines running parallel on a field of white beads, representing the passage of two vessels in the river of life. One of the purple rows was meant to depict the Haudenosaunee way of life, traveling in a canoe; the other row the Dutch, traveling in a ship. “In one row is a ship with our White Brothers’ ways; in the other a canoe with our ways. Each will travel down the river of life side by side. Neither will attempt to steer the other’s vessel.”
The Haudenosaunee and the Dutch agreed on three principles to make this treaty last. The first was friendship; the Haudenosaunee and their white brothers will live in friendship. The second principle is peace; there will be peace between their two people. The final principle is forever; that this agreement will last forever.
The Two Row is considered a living treaty by the Haudenosaunee.
Resources
The Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫɁ People in the Cayuga Lake Region: A Brief History
Learn more about how to craft a Land Acknowledgement and build relationship with the Indigenous communities of your area from the following resources: Land Acknowledgement Guide from IllumiNative; American Indian & Indigenous Studies Program at Cornell here; and Honor Native Land Virtual Resource Pack from the United States Department of Arts & Culture.
Our Indigenous collaborators have asked us to note, if you/your organization is not able to commit to the ongoing work of rebuilding relationships with living Indigenous communities a Land Acknowledgement may not be a recommended process for your organization to pursue at this time.