Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the land the Bernard Betel Centre is situated on is the Dish with one Spoon territory. The Dish with One Spoon is a treaty of many nations including the Mississauga’s of the Credit, the Anishinabek, the Chippewa, and the Haudenosaunee. This land has also been home to the Wendat peoples and Seneca peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, as is the rest of Turtle Island. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississauga’s of the Credit and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississauga’s and Chippewa bands.
Jewish people in Canada, many of whom have fled persecution in other parts of the world have found freedom and safety here. To work towards justice, we can never forget to acknowledge, advocate for, honour and support oppressed, marginalized, and vulnerable people. We know what it means to lose one’s land, and we understand that the wounds of oppression and displacement last for generations. The damage of the Holocaust did not end with liberation, or with the founding of the State of Israel. Similarly, we must reflect on how we can be allies to the Indigenous community that continues to experience the intergenerational impacts of colonialism and racism. The pain of Indigenous people has not ended with a government apology or the closing of residential schools.
Why are we doing the Land Acknowledgement?
By doing this land acknowledgement, this is the Bernard Betel Centre’s way of respecting and honouring the original inhabitants and traditional caretakers of the land we are on. We recognize the importance of bringing awareness of Indigenous histories to our staff and community members, in order to begin a journey to learn more about the truth and realities of Indigenous experiences in Canada, past and present and future.
The Bernard Betel Centre acknowledge that truth and reconciliation is a continuous process and while this land acknowledgement is an important step, we have much more work to do. We are committed to building positive relationships with Indigenous peoples, the wider community, and the environment.
African Ancestral Acknowledgement
We acknowledge all Treaty peoples – including those who came here as settlers – as migrants either in this generation or in generations past – and those of us who came here involuntarily, particularly those brought to these lands as a result of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and Slavery. We pay tribute to those ancestors of African origin and descent.