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What’s wrong with Native American land acknowledgements at university commencement and graduation exercises?

In the northern hemisphere December brings with it cold weather, preparations for and celebration of holidays like Hanukah, Christmas, and Kwanza, and in many colleges and universities commencement exercises.

During this event, students who meet the requirements of graduation, who did not complete their degrees in the spring semester, and/or did not formally participate in graduation exercises by walking across the stage, are formally presented with their diplomas (or more realistically pieces of paper with instructions on where they can pick them up).

Before any graduate is called to the stage to participate in this time honored tradition, speeches from university presidents and/or provosts, and one or more invited guests who may either be a commencement speaker and/or being awarded an honorary doctorate are given. The audience will also most likely listen to one or more speeches from a graduating senior or graduate student who was selected by the student body.

As a faculty member who has participated in numerous commencement and graduating exercises, I’ve noticed an awkward recent trend. Increasingly many of these speeches start with native land acknowledgements or dedications.

In principle these statements draw attention to the fact that if one was to perform a thorough title search, the university was probably built on land that was stolen from the indigenous people (i.e., Native American/American Indian) either living there or in the region.

What benefits do public Native American land acknowledgements provide at university events?

Recognizing that the land where people have chosen to live, work, and/or build structures on was at one point in time probably stolen or obtained through shady practices is important. And this insight is almost completely ignored by most people living in colonizing states like the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.

In principle, and perhaps, the Native American land claim acknowledgement issued at these public venues is designed to shock those in attendance out of their complacency, change the definition of the situation, and maybe even do something positive about the long term exploitation of Native American peoples.

The public utterance of the land claims acknowledgement is also a low cost method of virtue signaling, and method to demonstrate political correctness. If that is the intended goal then the native land claim acknowledgement at the beginning of speeches has served its purpose.

But the native land declaration that are made at university commencement exercises (not to mention other public university events, and the websites) still remains problematic.

Why are Native American land claim acknowledgement problematic at public university events?

Although I’m not the only person to have difficulty with public native land acknowledgements, I think that the college/university context or platform deserves greater scrutiny.

First, Native American land claims acknowledgements are part of a continuum that includes the commodification, co-optation, fetishization, etc.of important social relationships.

Second, I would argue that the audience in attendance don’t really care. If it’s the graduating students, then their major goal is to get their degree, pose for pictures with their fellow students, family, and maybe a faculty member or two if they are in attendance. If it’s the parents or loved ones of the graduating students, then it is to celebrate the day. And if it’s the staff, faculty and administrators it’s to get the hell out of there as quick as possible.

Third, public Native American land claims acknowledgements disingenuous and disrespectful. Why? If we are talking about universities, then rarely does this mean that the institution of higher education has a native American studies program, or department, It does not mean that they will be hiring more American Indian faculty, or making a concentrated effort to recruit American Indian students more.

Fourth, one must conclude that issuing land acknowledgements is mostly performative. It’s a way to show to those in attendance, and perhaps a larger audience that the university cares or can check the box.

Fifth, the issuance of land claims acknowledgement is hypocritical. If, for example, the university where the land claims acknowledgement is being made dates back to pre-emancipation times, one can almost entirely assume that parts of the university were built with slave labor. But as one can predict this is rarely acknowledged in these public spectacles.

Sixth, public land claims statements like this is faux activism and virtue signaling. Their ability to change things is really limited.

In short, just like many public displays, Native American land claim acknowledgements don’t really do anything to help native peoples or repair the wrongs that have been done.

Ways to address this state of affairs

If you have gotten this far in this rant, you’ve probably gathered that I’m not saying that public announcements that the land where universities (or other structures) was stolen from indigenous people are inherently bad, but they really don’t do anything to improve the current lives of indigenous peoples or repair relationships.

Instead university administrators, individuals who are being honored, and graduating undergrads and graduate students who start a speech by making a land dedication should be held politically accountable.

For example, they should let us know if and which Native American organizations they have assisted (e.g., financial donations to an American Indian (American) or First Nation’s charity or the Native American Rights Fund). If it is the university administrator they should also explain how they have attempted to hire Native American staff and faculty. Alternatively they could elaborate on how they have helped to create and/or maintain a Native American studies program, and/or a Native American students organization on campus.

Until this is done the Native American Land acknowledgement at college and university public events will ring hollow.

Photo Credit
Photographer: Ted Drake
Title: Never Forget – DesertX 2021

Are some people not amenable to being mentored?

As harsh as it sounds, and the possibility that it may anger progressive, liberals, and activists, some individuals, regardless of how capable, friendly, needy or smart they appear to be or are, and the context in which they live or work, are not just difficult to mentor, but repeatedly ignore the advice of the people who have agreed to mentor them, or fail to implement their good council.

That being said, it’s important to realize that there is a difference among coaching, counseling, facilitating, training, and mentoring.

In general, mentoring is a reciprocal and voluntary relationship between two people where one of the individuals has some sort of valued knowledge or expertise and attempts to direct, guide, or influence the less experienced person by providing advice, assistance or help.

And, just because a student, junior worker or colleague seeks your advice or you freely give some, it does not automatically mean that you have a mentoring relationship with them. Clearly these kinds of interactions develop over time.

It’s also unrealistic to believe, think or require students, workers, or other people with whom you have a mentoring relationship to follow all the “pearls of wisdom” that you freely bestow on them. But some mentees, for one reason or another, may ignore almost all of what you have to say.

Let’s face it not all work, career, or relationship advice you may offer is helpful. And an astute mentee should judge the quality and source (i.e., expertise) of the advice and its potential ramifications. Plus the mentee may choose not to implement your advice now, but do it later on.

Actual or potential mentors, on the other hand, might be hard pressed to ignore a mentee’s stories about their dissatisfaction with the mentors they left (or left them), their constant search for new advisors, and the appearance as if they don’t listen to or consider expert advice, draw most of their lessons from their own lived experience, think and act as if “they know it all,” and maybe even with a touch of grandiosity thrown in for good measure.

When this occurs the actual or potential mentor should realize that no matter how determined they are to make a positive impact in the career, life, and work of the mentee, how good or well packaged the advice that they give this individual is, nor how often it is transmitted, will it make a difference.

There are lots of people who need and want talented mentors and they might actually benefit from your advice and expertise.

Photo credit
Photographer: Jo Morcom
Title: ignored advice
in guinness tent @ port fairy folk festival

Why has air travel become such a shit show & some simple things you can do about it?

In addition to visiting relatives and friends, and filling ones belly with copious amounts of turkey and predictable side dishes, this Thanksgiving holiday weekend reminds us how historically, the greatest number of people travel via airplane during this time.

For many people, the holiday also reminds us how air travel, in the United States at least, has become such a shit show.

Starting from the time you arrive at the airport until the time you get to your destination airport, air travelers quickly learn that many of the systems to get you safely, securely, and efficiently on to your plane and off either don’t work in a rational manner, or numerous entities seem to do their best to frustrate the process. No wonder why airlines and other advisors tell you to come to the airport two hours early before your flight.

Many of these annoying experiences have been going on for a long time, but the ubiquity of smart phones, and popularity of social media, has enabled the public to witness passengers on their worst behavior.

Why does this occur?

Traveling by air has rarely been fun, but since 9/11 it’s become an unnecessarily frustrating experience, enabled by a unique combination of airport authorities, the airlines, airline personnel, government entities, and most importantly passengers.

Although some airports are better than others, whether its resources or poor leadership and management, in some cases airport authorities have failed to take into consideration the user experience. This includes a lack of signage, signs that may be minimal or confusing, and parking, drop off, and pick up protocols that don’t make sense.

The Transportation Safety Administration, (TSA), which is responsible for passenger and airline safety, has been a source of constant frustration. More specifically many TSA rules in connection with passenger screening do not appear rational and they are enforced in an inconsistent manner. More specifically what is required or enforced at one airport (i.e., belts on, versus belts off, etc.) is not enforced at another.

Most airline desk, gate, and flight attendants do their best to assist passengers. In some instances, however, some airline personnel can be unhelpful, dismissive, and rude. Some of this is because they have been constantly abused (emotionally, mentally and physically) by passengers, co-workers and supervisors. And thus they are short, and unaccommodating.

In an effort to maximize profit the airlines have configured seating so that passengers are often struggling with small spaces that force passengers to sit ever closer together, charging for all manner of things that the airlines used to give out freely (e.g., water, soft drinks, beer and wine). In the meantimes electrical outlets may not work, gate changes are provided at the last minute, etc. etc.. Everyone seems to have their favorite airline horror story.

Most importantly, for some strange reason many airline passengers see the airport and airplane experience as an opportunity to cop an attitude, be on their worst behavior, and in some cases loose their shit. How does this happen?

Flights are long. You are forced to sit beside people who you don’t want to sit beside, often don’t respect personal space, and disrupt you, etc.

At a minimum travelers accidentally or purposely ignore written signs and rules, and oral instructions. Predictably this slows things down, particularly getting through security checks and in the worst case flights. Alternatively travelers talk back in a condescending manner and in some cases assault airport and airline personnel and fellow passengers. Sometimes this is because many airplane travelers mistakenly feel entitled or believe that possession of an airplane ticket grants them all sorts of unwritten and unspoken rights and privileges, that enables them to disobey the rules.

What can we do to rectify things?

It’s not easy addressing these challenges. Each offending constituency and situation demands different solutions, and some are easier to change than others, but let’s start with the ones that are under our control, and those involve the choices we make when and how we decide to travel, more specifically by plane.

Before you go do a handful of quick cost-benefit calculations.

To begin with prospective travelers should be very clear about the purpose of their trip. More specifically ask yourself do I really need to travel?. If the answer is a resounding yes, then accept the fact that flying is generally speaking a clusterfuck.

. When choosing a ticket, airline, departure and arrival time, consider flying during times of the day, week, and part of the year when airlines are not as busy.
. Try to avoid using budget airlines.
. If you can get to your destination in about the same time as it takes to travel by train, take the train.
. Try to relax. If you can’t do this by physically exercising before your fight, consider meditation, one drink, or taking an edible (but don’t get drunk or stoned).
– Wear comfortable clothes particularly if it is a long flight.
– If you are on a relatively uncrowded flight move to a part of the plane that is less crowded.
– Show up well in advance of take off to get through security and to your departure gate that may end up being at the other end of the airport.
– Bring enough stuff along the flight to occupy yourself like reading material or videos downloaded to your personal device.
– Travel light (i.e., try not to take so much baggage that you need to put it underneath in the hold)
– Don’t put your medication in a bag that you check in.
– Resist the temptation to snap back at others whom you believe treat you in a disrespectful manner; and,
– If you are taking a long flight, try to take one as late as possible in the evening (That way both you and your fellow passengers are likely to sleep the majority of the trip).

By properly preparing yourself for the long haul you can’t eliminate the craziness that comes your way, but you will be better able to deal with it when it arises.

Photo Credit
Photographer: Rudi Riet
Title: Passengers await their flight call