Land Acknowledgement
A land acknowledgement is a formal recognition of Indigenous nations and their traditional territories. It honours the historic and current significance of Indigenous peoples who have originally lived and cared for the land. As a health care organization, making a land acknowledgement is part of our diligence and commitment towards Indigenous community wellbeing.
Sherbourne Health would like to acknowledge the land on which our organization operates, and the land on which we deliver care is the traditional and current territory of the Haudenosaunee and the Mississaugas of the Credit.
Our centre is located in the city of Toronto, which was originally known as Tkaronto. This city is covered by Treaty 13 and belongs to the traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit. We acknowledge them and any other Nations who care for the land–acknowledged and unacknowledged, recorded and unrecorded.
This land was and is a place that signals to the impact of Indigenous health leadership. For example, Oronhyatekha, who is one of the first Indigenous people to earn a medical degree, has a plaque and a nearby laneway behind the centre named after him. Across the street from Sherbourne Health is Allan Gardens, a site where many health advocates of marginalized communities have advocated, protested, drummed, and lived. Ongoing work is done in the healthcare sector by local health agencies, which include Anishinawbe Health, the Native Women’s Resource Centre, and The Métis Nation of Ontario’s Community Support Services Program.
This territory is still home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to continue providing service to the people who call this land home today.
As this land is under the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, Sherbourne Health and our community members have a responsibility to be good stewards and respect the significance of this treaty agreement.