The GVTA acknowledges that the Land on which we hike, as settlers, is Traditional Territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Neutrals.
With this statement we respect the Indigenous Tradition of acknowledging the Territory of another nation. This Territory today is called the Haldimand Tract.
We acknowledge and are grateful to the Indigenous Peoples and their ancestors for their deep Traditional Knowledge, their Culture, and Philosophies. We are grateful for the Indigenous Way of protecting and sharing the Land with all People and Relatives, the four-legged, winged ones, the swimmers and the crawlers, the rooted and non-rooted relations.
We are committed to improve our understanding of Indigenous Neighbours and to take actions toward building relationships among our communities.
The Haldimand Tract was established in 1784 when the Haudenosaunee were displaced from their land after supporting the British in the American Revolution. The Haldimand Tract runs from Port Maitland to the Dundalk Highlands and extends 10 km on each side of the Grand River. On behalf of the Haudenosaunee, the Crown took charge of administering the Haldimand Tract, home of the Six Nations, “in trust”.
Today, the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and the Neutrals reside on 46,500 acres, 5% of the original 950,000 acres of the Haldimand Tract. The land of the Haldimand Tract was expropriated by the Crown and is unceded – meaning that the Haudenosaunee never legally signed away their lands to the Crown or Canada.
More than 95% of the original Haldimand Tract was removed from the Haudenosaunee. Caledonia is the last piece of the Haldimand Tract that has not been taken away from the Haudenosaunee.
Now is the Time of the Eighth Fire; the time for settlers to work with Indigenous Communities Respectfully, to take Responsibility, and to be Reciprocal so we can move toward Reconciliation.
