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Hege Library & Learning Technologies

Acknowledgement: Native Presence and the Guilford College Landscape

A guide to the concept of land acknowledgements and resources for exploring here at Guilford College. Includes information about Guilford College's relationship with Native peoples over time and the history of the land where our campus is today.

Acknowledging Elders and Knowledge Sources

Standard models for academic and professional sources privilege published resources and often lack clear instruction for how to acknowledge other sources of knowledge. The following information was created by NorQuest College in Edmunton, Alberta, Canada.

The NorQuest Library has noted that the formal MLA style does not have a format for Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers so we have developed this citation style in the spirit of wahkôhtowin and reconciliation. 

Unlike most other personal communications, Elders and Knowledge Keepers should be cited in-text and in the reference list.

The citation format for the reference list follows the following format:

Last name, First name., Nation/Community. Treaty Territory if applicable. City/Community they live in if applicable. Topic/subject of communication if applicable. Date Month Year. 

Cardinal, Delores., Goodfish Lake Cree Nation. Treaty 6. Lives in Edmonton. Oral teaching. 4 April 2004. 

Note: If you would like to approach an Elder or Knowledge Keeper for teachings, remember to follow protocol or if you are unsure what their protocol is, please ask them ahead of time.