Nancy Edmonds Hanson
Moorhead City Council meetings have long begun with standing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. In days to come, another statement grounded in history will also mark the start of its meetings: a “land acknowledgment” that cites the indigenous people who lived here before the city’s founding.
The so-called “land acknowledgment” that the council adopted Monday will be read before every meeting. Developed by the city’s human rights commission over the past four months, it was presented by vice chair Siham Amedy. She told the council that area Native American leaders were consulted in framing its language, which acknowledges “the spirit of the Dakota, Ojibwe, Metis and all Indigenous communities [that] permeates this land.”
Similar statements have been officially adopted by North Dakota State University and the North Dakota College of Science, as well as a growing number of museums and cultural organizations. A similar statement is prominent in the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County’s exhibit “Ihdago Manipi: Clay County at 150” a floor below the council’s meeting room at the Hjemkomst Center.
The measure had been tabled after brief discussion at the previous meeting. When discussion resumed this week, several council members – while expressing their support of the concept – sounded a note of concern over the commitment to voice it at every meeting. Larry Seljevold offered an amendment to add a “sunset clause,” a date at which the practice would end (possibly in December 2023), after which the future council members could reconsider to renew it. His amendment failed after city attorney John Shockley assured the group that any council at any time could choose to revise the practice.
Several council members reacted to the suggestion of an ending date. “It disappoints me that we’re nitpicking this,” Laura Caroon responded.
Deb White said, “We live in a community that would benefit from thinking about our history more deeply. This statement about our past is a first step to changing how we think, being more mindful – one step toward making our community more welcoming and inclusive.”
Heather Nesemeier added, “Every ounce of the state of Minnesota was taken from Indigenous peoples. This is one little thing that we in this room can do tonight.”
Earlier in the meeting, two Moorhead residents, Marilyn Proulx and Janine Hanson, questioned the historical accuracy of the statement. Proulx, a former teacher, noted that Indigenous people did not occupy the actual land on which Moorhead was built, though there were settlements nearby at Georgetown and elsewhere. This was historically a pass-through area, she said, shunned otherwise by the Anishinabe and Dakota because of flooding and mosquitoes. “Jumping on this bandwagon could make a mockery of Moorhead,” she said.
Hanson echoed her point. “Is this historically accurate?” she asked. “Just because land acknowledgments are accurate in other places doesn’t mean they are here.” She added, “Perhaps we should acknowledge the wisdom of their not settling here because of the mosquito infestation.”
The resolution to adopt the statement passed, 6 to 2, with opposing votes by Matt Gilbertson and Chuck Hendrickson.
Here is the text of the adopted statement:
“We, the Moorhead City Council, collectively and with gratitude, acknowledge the sacred land the City of Moorhead is built upon. We acknowledge the people who have resided here for generations and recognize that the spirit of the Dakota, Ojibwe, Metis and all Indigenous communities permeates this land. The contribution of the Indigenous people shall not be forgotten nor will the success that is achieved by the People of the land. We will continue to educate, advocate, honor and unite for Indigenous people of this land.”
