Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures.

Compass Health honors the resiliency of the Coast Salish Peoples and we respect their sovereignty. We also commit to developing better understanding for and relationships with Indigenous peoples in the regions we serve, celebrating their stories and culture.

Last year we started the process of creating a land acknowledgment, honoring and celebrating the communities that have been here since time immemorial. The land acknowledgement below was created as a foundational first step in Compass Health’s commitment to developing relationships with the Tribes that foster trust, communication, and learning.

Compass Health’s Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that Compass Health occupies the traditional homelands of the Semiahmoo, Nooksack, Lummi, Samish, Nuwhaha, Swinomish, Upper Skagit, Stillaguamish, Sauk-Suiattle, Tulalip, Snohomish, and all Coast Salish Peoples – who, since time immemorial, have cared for these lands that we now share. We recognize the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855 changed the way of life for Coast Salish Peoples. We honor their resiliency and respect their sovereignty.

Compass Health commits to developing better understanding for and relationships with Indigenous peoples in the regions we serve.

As stated in our land acknowledgment, Compass Health commits to developing a better understanding for and relationships with Indigenous peoples in the regions we serve. This includes establishing relationships that foster trust and communication with our region’s tribal communities, as well as the continual learning that needs to take place.

We commit to celebrating and honoring all Native American peoples and their stories, and we strive to create meaningful relationships within our communities.

Land Acknowledgement Process

How did Compass Health’s Land Acknowledgement come to be?

Compass Health’s land acknowledgement was first research and drafted by our Health Equity Committee, which works to identify disparities in the communities we serve and how we can better support them.

We shared the draft statement with and received feedback from various local Tribal leaders and members, which we incorporated into a revision. We  continue to be open to learning and feedback  as our relationships with the Tribal Nations grow.

What is a land acknowledgement?

A land acknowledgement statement acknowledges the lands where we currently play, work, and live, are the traditional homelands of Indigenous communities. It is more than an acknowledgement of the land though. Land acknowledgement is foundational step in a process recognizing, learning, and honoring the history and culture of Indigenous peoples including the actions and practices of non-Indigenous peoples that had a significant adverse and lasting impact on Indigenous communities.

A land acknowledgement:

• Indicates reverence and respect for the land and Native inhabitants who have cared for the land from the earliest times.
• Encourages understanding and appreciation of Native culture, past and present.
• Supports the sharing of truth related to the “discovery” of America, colonization, treaties, and current practices that impact Native communities.
• Emphasizes recognition of tribal sovereignty and the resilience of Indigenous peoples.
• States a commitment to learning about and partnering with Indigenous communities.