In her poem "Existing As a Settler On Unceded Land: A Guide" artist Dierdre Lee invites a reflection on the act of acknowledgment.

A selfie taken in a the reflective glass of a bus stop, with leaves in the background. In the reflection we see the silhouette of the artist, a road, and a concrete barrier.

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Step one

Read this poem aloud

Ideally outside

in the sun

So the trees & the wind can listen in

If this makes you roll your eyes

Stop

Go away

Have a nap

Try again

Step two

Learn what “unceded” means

Understand that this

is just the beginning 

Step three

Be present

with feelings of being uncomfortable

or embarrassed

You could probably use the practice

realizing

these feelings are not life-threatening

Step four

Locate yourself

Specifically

Geographically

Time for Q&A

Time to know

Time to say

Whose traditional territory

do you live

& breathe

& work

& love upon?

 

Who was here

for thousands of years

before you?

Step five

Recognize

that though

Indigenous Peoples

are ancient

We are also

still alive

Resist the urge to mythologize

Reject what

little

(if anything)

you have been taught in school

or in most mainstream media

Embrace this truth:

You have no idea

Step six

It’s not your job to fix this

Or it is

But as an accomplice

You are not the boss

No matter your activist street cred

In this

you are a rookie

Let go of expectation

Of being in charge

Of being lauded

Of getting an ally cookie

Step seven

Seven generations

Seven teachings

Seven months to seventy

1752 Treaty

Elders

& youth

Are rising

Are speaking

Are you listening?

Are you learning?

Step eight

Infinity

Pace yourself on this journey

This

is not an on-off switch

This

is no magic-spell scenario

This

is more like encouraging plants to grow

Nurture your skills

& heart

Absorb

Process

Try

Fuck up

Rest

Restart

Step nine

This guide

is not permanent

Or definitive

Or chronological

There is no such thing as linear time

This work does not come with finish line

This text was initially published in Canadian Art magazine.