Land Acknowledgment
The Pikes Peak region is situated on the ancestral homeland of the Ute Peoples, who are the Southern Ute, Ute Mountain Ute, and Northern Ute. Other tribes who lived and hunted on this land include the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, and Apache. Even through forced relocation and land dispossession, we recognize that the land still holds Ute traditions, language, stories, and history. Today, Indigenous people from many Native nations reside here and continue to make significant contributions to our community.
Land acknowledgements recognize the Native Peoples of the local area, past and present, and focus audiences for a moment on who was here before the settlers. Hear Here Poetry is grateful to the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region and to Debbie Howell (Pawnee/Dakota) for crafting this land acknowledgement for the Pikes Peak region for both the Cultural Office and the local creative community’s use. It is intentionally brief enough to use within curtain speeches before performances and other arts & cultural events. Local creative groups are encouraged to include land acknowledgements when it is fitting to do so, and to edit the language so that it is personal and heartfelt for your organization and audience.
