Native Land Reparation Pledge Project

Massasoit statue in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where the Wampanoag tribe first welcomed the Mayflower. Photo courtesy Meg Randa

We all cherish the land we call home, but do we recognize its history?

This land we live on was once home to Native tribes, taken forcefully, in nearly all cases, centuries ago from Indigenous Peoples. Since we all stand to financially benefit from owning homes on stolen property, we must acknowledge that homeownership comes with a heavy price.

For many of us, merely acknowledging this injustice is no longer sufficient; action is required. As an initiative born out of respect for the history, culture, and resilience of Indigenous Peoples, the Native Land Reparation Pledge Project seeks to make amends for injustices done in past times.

Native land reparation involves efforts to address historical injustice from colonization, forced displacement, cultural genocide, and other forms of oppression. It seeks to amplify the voices of Indigenous communities and advance the cause of justice and reconciliation for past wrongs committed against them.

What Is The Pledge?

The Pledge is a solemn pact one makes with their conscience and is not legally binding. It is a conscientious promise to be fulfilled upon selling your property or home if the conditions in one’s life permit. By signing The Pledge, you agree, when the time comes to sell property, to contribute 1%  of the sale price of a home or property to the native community whose land you now own, and from which you will financially benefit. In the absence of an Indigenous presence for that land, the option to contribute instead to a native led organization is also possible.

These small pledges amount to billions of dollars, benefiting Native communities in crucial ways: economic development, education, health care, cultural preservation, infrastructure development, social services, community programs and more.

Furthermore, this pledging advances the healing in our relationship with Native tribes. It’s not just the least we can do, it’s the right thing to do. You can also pledge retroactively for previous homes you have sold.

NATIVE LAND REPARATION PLEDGE

To All Whom It May Concern,

Be It Known That ______________________, residing at ____________________, _______________________, ___, respectfullly pledge to donate 1% of the sale price of our home to the __________________________, within whose ancestral land this property is located. I realize that the land, including the air, water, and biological life, is a natural relative to the tribe, and no amount of money can repay them for it having been wrongfully taken from them centuries ago.

I intend to fulfill this sacred commitment, embraced in the spirit of personal responsibility and reparation, when the day comes to sell our home. Until then, I will continue to care for the land and its inhabitants with ecological integrity and respect, and will honor it as our natural relative, for we are stewards of all creation Ultimately, the land belongs to Mother Earth.

Homeowners__________________________________________

Date ______________________

The land you call home was stolen. Stand up! Take the pledge online! Visit www.nativelandreparation.org and let your conscience be your guide.

Lewis Randa is the founder of The Peace Abbey Foundation, from which the Native Land Reparation Pledge Project was initiated.

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