Honoring Tribal History & Place

Culture, History & Dark Sky

Ways residents and lake groups can recognize Indigenous history, respect treaty rights, and build real partnerships—grounded in listening and shared stewardship.

Principles (Start Here)

  • Respect & humility: Listen first; ask how to be useful
  • Treaty rights are living: Fishing, gathering, and access rights continue today; plan projects with this in mind
  • Place matters: Lakes and shorelines hold cultural, spiritual, and subsistence value beyond recreation
  • Shared care: Healthy water benefits everyone; co-stewardship aligns interests

Learn the Place (Before You Act)

  • Historic and present connections: Identify tribal nations with past and current ties to the lake
  • Treaties & agreements: Note which treaties cover the region and what they protect (e.g., harvesting, travel)
  • Cultural landscapes: Recognize shorelines, wetlands, islands, and inlets as potential cultural resource areas

Meaningful Land Acknowledgments (Do Them Well)

  • Make them specific: Name the lake, watershed, and the tribal nations connected to the place
  • Keep it active: Pair acknowledgments with actions—funds for youth programs, habitat projects, or language sign support
  • Right context: Use at the start of meetings, events, and pages that invite participation

Partnering on Projects (Co-Stewardship)

  • Invite early: Reach out before designs are set; ask about priorities and concerns
  • Share decisions: Include tribal staff or representatives in planning groups; build room for their timelines
  • Support capacity: Budget for stipends, travel, youth crews, and cultural monitors when applicable
  • Data stewardship: Discuss data ownership, language use, and how results will be shared

Respectful Field Practices

  • Cultural resource awareness: Avoid ground disturbance in sensitive areas without consultation
  • Monitoring: Where needed, include cultural monitors during excavation or shoreline work
  • Collections: Do not collect artifacts or plants without permission; follow protocols for any ceremonial materials

Public Information & Signs

  • Dual naming where appropriate: Include Indigenous place names alongside current names
  • Language and stories: With permission, share short histories or seasonal notes on signs and webpages
  • Treaty-rights messaging: Explain lawful fishing/gathering access clearly and respectfully

Events & Engagement Etiquette

  • Invite appropriately: Contact tribal offices for the right point of connection; provide ample notice and clear roles
  • Honor time and protocol: Build agendas with openings for welcome or remarks if offered; compensate speakers
  • Food & space: Ask about dietary preferences and cultural considerations

Education & Youth

  • Hands-on projects: Support youth crews for shoreline planting, water-quality monitoring, or invasive-species checks
  • Curriculum: Co-develop short lessons on lake ecology, traditional harvesting, and language for signs or newsletters
  • Scholarships & internships: Earmark funds for Indigenous students in natural resources fields

Do / Don't (At a Glance)

Do
  • Start relationships long before permits or deadlines
  • Ask how your group can support existing initiatives
  • Share credit and decision-making
  • Include Indigenous knowledge alongside scientific data (with permission)
Don't
  • Treat acknowledgment as a checkbox
  • Rely on one-time outreach
  • Publish cultural stories, images, or names without consent
  • Assume you understand cultural protocols without asking

Building a Simple Partnership Plan

Contacts & liaisons: ______________________________
Shared goals this year (3–5): ______________________________
Resources committed (funds/time): ______________________________
Projects to co-design: ______________________________
Review & reflection date: ______________________________

Bottom Line

Honor history by acting in the present: reach out early, listen, and co-create projects. Respect treaty rights, include Indigenous knowledge with consent, and invest in youth and shared stewardship of the lake.

Related Topics

Key Takeaways

  • Listen first; ask how to be useful
  • Treaty rights are living and active
  • Pair acknowledgments with actions
  • Invite tribal partners early in projects
  • Respect data ownership and cultural protocols
  • Support youth programs and education

Four Principles

  1. Respect & humility
  2. Treaty rights are living
  3. Place matters
  4. Shared care

Partnership Essentials

  • Reach out before designs are set
  • Include tribal staff in planning
  • Budget for capacity support
  • Discuss data ownership
  • Build in time for tribal timelines

Acknowledgment Tips

Make them meaningful:

  • Be specific to place
  • Name tribal nations
  • Pair with concrete actions
  • Use at appropriate times

Building Partnerships

Ready to build meaningful partnerships with tribal nations? Start by reaching out to tribal offices to learn about their priorities and how your lake group can support existing initiatives.

Learn More