Acknowledge & Respect Indigenous Residents
HCC Land Acknowledgment Statement
Holyoke Community College acknowledges that our institution and community inhabit land that was once and still is the homeland of Indigenous peoples. The area commonly known as “New England” was, at the time of first contact with Europeans, the homelands of millions of native peoples whose numbers were reduced by European diseases, warfare, and unscrupulous land acquisitions. We honor the earlier inhabitants of the Connecticut River Valley, the Pocumtuck, the Nonotuck, the Woronoco, and the Agawam nations, among others. We acknowledge the surviving Native nations, which include the Nipmuc and the Wampanoag, the Mohegan, the Pequot, the Mohican, and the Abenaki.
The College community must go beyond a statement alone to reconcile this history. We pledge to maintain respect for Indigenous peoples. We are committed to increasing college-wide programming that informs and educates our community about Native contemporariness, histories, cultures, and sovereignty. HCC’s land acknowledgment statement is a living document to living cultures.
Pronunciation Guide: (Source: Springfield College. Used with permission.)
Pocumtuck [poe-come-tuck]
Nonotuck [non-oh-tuck]
Woronoco [wore-oh-no-co]
Agawam [aa-gah-wahm]
Nipmuc [nip-muck]
Wampanoag [wamp-ah-nawg]
Mohegan [moh-he-gahn]
Pequot [pee-kwaht]
Mohican [moh-hee-kuhn]
Abenaki [a-ben-a-kee]
Moment of Gratitude:
Thank you to the ARIR - Acknowledge & Respect Indigenous Residents Committee for their incredible work and support.
Committee Chair: Amreen Shaikh | ashaikh@hcc.edu
Thank you to Rhonda Anderson (Inupiaq Athabaskan), Western Massachusetts Commissioner on Indian Affairs, founder and co-director of the Ohketeau Cultural Center and the Native Youth Empowerment, for her valuable insights as we created our land acknowledgment statement and resources list.
Share Your Feedback on Our Land Acknowledgment
HCC's Land Acknowledgment is a living document that honors living cultures, and we want it to reflect the voices of our whole community. Tell us what resonates, what may be missing, and what actions you'd like HCC to take beyond the statement.
Takes about 5 minutes · Responses are anonymous
ARIR Mission, Vision & Core Values
Our Mission
The Acknowledge & Respect Indigenous Residents (ARIR) Committee works to promote awareness, respect, and institutional responsibility toward Indigenous peoples by supporting education, advocacy, and meaningful engagement across the college community.
Our Vision
We envision a campus that actively acknowledges Indigenous histories and contemporary realities, integrates Indigenous perspectives into learning and practice, and builds respectful, sustained relationships with Indigenous communities.
Our Core Values
- Respect: Honoring Indigenous peoples, cultures, and sovereignty
- Accountability: Taking institutional responsibility seriously
- Reciprocity: Building relationships that benefit Indigenous communities
- Sustainability: Creating lasting, meaningful change over symbolic gestures
- Education: Fostering awareness, learning, and open dialogue across campus
ARIR Year One Priority Areas (2026–27)
Priority 1: Institutional Practices
Ensure the college's recognition of Indigenous peoples is meaningful and consistent.
- Develop guidance for appropriate Land Acknowledgment usage
- Create recommendations for campus events and ceremonies
- Conduct an annual review of acknowledgment language
- Advise on institutional protocols and communications
Priority 2: Campus Programming & Visibility
Make ARIR's work visible through events and engagement that reach the broader campus.
- Plan Indigenous Peoples' Day programming
- Coordinate with the Library on displays and reading lists
- Support student-led panels or storytelling events
- Host 1–2 speaker series events
Priority 3: Community Relationships
Build reciprocal, respectful connections with regional Indigenous communities.
- Identify regional Indigenous organizations and contacts
- Establish honoraria and consultation standards
- Pursue long-term relationship building (not one-off events)
- Explore partnership opportunities with local tribes or groups
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Date & Time |
Event |
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Oct – Nov (Tuesdays) |
Truthful Tuesdays: a new Indigenous history fact each week on HCC's Facebook (link to the HCC Facebook page) |
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Mon, Oct 19, 11 am – Noon |
Indigenous Planting Day: Honoring the Three Sisters, HCC Garden Space |
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Mon, Nov 2 |
Land Acknowledgment Feedback Launch: share your input online or with a paper form (link “online” to the Google Form) |
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Tue, Nov 3 |
Homelands & Heartbeats Display, Campus Center (by Starbucks) |
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Mon, Nov 9 |
Library Bookshelf Display: Native American literature and Indigenous authors |
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Wed, Nov 18, 11 am – 2 pm |
Film Screening: Dawnland, Student Engagement Center |
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Dec – Feb |
Library Case Display: Indigenous History |
