ATRF Land Acknowledgement

Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund (ATRF) is now walking on a path of understanding, truth, and reconciliation alongside Indigenous peoples. As trustees and administrators of teachers’ pensions in Alberta, we acknowledge the history between the colonial education system and Indigenous peoples, and we respect the significant role our members hold as teachers working with youth and Indigenous learners on the path to reconciliation. At ATRF, we also have unique opportunities and roles to contribute to meaningful change, with and for Indigenous peoples.

We have committed as an organization to learning how to be better neighbors and relatives. Part of this commitment and mission is to create space within our hearts and minds to listen, consider, and humbly contribute to a future where all our relations walk together in a good way.

With that, we acknowledge that the work we steward and the location of those we serve is nationwide— yet this nation, which we call Canada, is known by Indigenous peoples by much older names: Turtle Island, Inuit Nunangut, and Denendeh to name a few. With that, we respectfully acknowledge the traditional lands and ancestral territories that work is headquartered in, as, Treaty Six Territory, amiskwacîwâskahikan, Edmonton. We would like to respectfully recognize the living presence of the nêhiyaw, Dené, Anishinaabe, Nakota Isga, Niitsitapi, and all Indigenous peoples who call these lands home. We also acknowledge this as the rich homeland of Métis Regional Council Zone IV and appreciate that these lands are also home to one of the great communities of Inuit south of the border of the Northwest Territories.

Looking to the People, we remember and acknowledge all Indigenous missing, murdered and stolen sisters and relatives. We remember and acknowledge all the survivors of residential schools, including those who crossed into the spirit world while away from their families and homes. We honour and recognize those stewarding the homefires in themselves and in their communities.

We ask for patience and guidance as we learn and grow together. These acknowledgements are some of the starting steps on a journey of several lifetimes. We share these acknowledgements in honour of the lands, and in the spirit of truth, wellbeing, and contributing to a better pathway with and for Indigenous peoples. ​

Pronunciations

Âba wathtec (AM—BA WATH-TETCH)
amiskwacîwâskahikan – audio tutorial
Aniin (AHH-NEEN)
Anishinaabe (AH-NISH-IN-AH-BAY)
Dadanast’ada (DA—DA-NAST-ADA)
Dene (DEH-NEYH)
Denendeh (DEH-NEYHN-DEH)
Métis (MAY-TEA)
Nakota (NA-KOH-TAH)
Nakota Isga (NA-KOH-TAH EE-SKA)
Nakota Sioux (NA-KOH-TAH SUE)
nêhiyaw (NAY-HEE-YOW)
Niitsitapi (NIT-SI-TAHP-EE)
Nunangut (NOO-NAN-GUT)
Oki (OHHH-KEEE)
Saulteaux (SO-TOH)
tân-si (TUHN-SAY)