We/I acknowledge that Goucher College currently occupies land within the geographic sphere of influence of the Susquehannock Tribe. They maintained a kinship with the land and believed that the land held no boundaries or ownership by Indigenous peoples. 

We/I acknowledge that settler colonists and colonial structures are responsible for the displacement and genocide of Indigenous peoples through physical violence, forced removals, and Indigenous erasure. Refugees from genocided tribes formed new kinship relationships within neighboring tribes as a method of survival. While there are no Susquehannock polities today, Susquehannock peoples maintain their kinship, traditions, and histories from within neighboring tribes and maintain a vital kinship relationship with the Susquehanna River.

We/I acknowledge that we are uninvited guests currently occupying the ancestral homelands of the Susquehannock Tribe, as the result of broken treaties.

We/I acknowledge the wisdom of the Susquehannock Tribe, the Piscataway Indian Nation, the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, and the Choptico Band of Indians who graciously provided their time, histories, and knowledge to inform this land acknowledgement and educate the settler mindset. We recognize that the Cedarville Band of the Piscataway Indians also maintains a kinship with the land and has knowledge of histories, traditions, and cultures.

We/I acknowledge the commitment that Goucher College has made to understand and repair the wrongs of the past. The college is dedicated to moving forward and establishing meaningful and authentic relationships with Indigenous communities. This statement is a step in combatting Indigenous erasure and negative stereotypes. 

 

Learn more about the Land Acknowledgement Process Paper.