Cultural Protocol

The basic acknowledgement is recommended for the opening remarks at small, internally focused events, like meetings and small gatherings:

[Welcome to the University of Calgary]. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.

The specific territorial acknowledgement is recommended for opening remarks at larger internal meetings or small public events: 

[Welcome to the University of Calgary]. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations). The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. 

The extended territorial acknowledgement is recommended for opening remarks at large public events, such as University of Calgary Convocation, building openings and conferences.

[Welcome to the University of Calgary]. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprising the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations).  The city of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3.  I would also like to note that the University of Calgary is situated on land adjacent to where the Bow River meets the Elbow River, and that the traditional Blackfoot name of this place is “Moh’kins’tsis”, which we now call the City of Calgary. 

Siksika is pronounced “Sik-sik-a” (please use the short i  for both vowel sounds in pronunciation)

Piikani is pronounced “Pē-gun-ē” (please use the long e for both vowel sounds in pronunciation)

Kainai is pronounced  “K ī -n ī”  (please use the long i for both vowel sounds in pronunciation)

Tsuut’ina is pronounced “Soot’ ina”  (Please use the long o and short i for the vowel sounds in pronunciation)

Chiniki is prounounced “Chin-i-kee” (Please use the long i for the last vowel sound and short i for the first two vowels)