Indigenous Peoples Day 2022
Last week I had the honor of reading the Dover Land Acknowledgement in advance of our flag raising ceremony with the head speakers of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook - Abenaki People.
Today is a day not only to reflect on the hard parts of our history, but also the joy that comes from working together to build a stronger future. There is space for us to grow and learn together, repair old wounds and prevent new ones, and better understand ourselves and our neighbors.
I am proud of the steps Dover residents, businesses, and leaders are taking and know that there is much more to do. Thank you to the Mayor and City Manager, the Racial Equity and Inclusion Committee, and all those working together on this.
--
This flag raising takes place at Cocheco (CO-chi-co) on N’dakinna (n-DA-ki-na), now called Dover, New Hampshire, which is the unceded traditional ancestral homeland of the Abenaki (a-BEN-a-ki), Pennacook and Wabanaki Peoples, past and present. We acknowledge and honor with gratitude the land, waterways, living beings, and the Aln8bak (Al-nuh-bak), the people who have stewarded N’dakinna (n-DA-ki-na) for many millennia.
Thank you to Foster's Daily Democrat for the great write up of the event as well.
If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to explore the resources available through the following websites:
Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People
Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective
Teaching on N’Dakinna (educational resources)
And many more!