We acknowledge that the Town of Danvers is located on the ancestral homelands of the Naumkeag (\ ˈnȯmˌkeg \) and Agawam (a·guh·waam) people. Historical evidence shows that the Naumkeag and Agawam were peaceful in their relationship with European settlers, however, their population depleted rapidly due to smallpox and other pandemic old-world diseases unknowingly introduced by earlier European colonizers to the east coast. We pay our respects to the ancestral bloodlines to these tribes, others who may be lost to history, and their descendants who still inhabit the land today.
A Land Acknowledgement is a formal statement of recognition of the Indigenous Peoples who stewarded the land before colonization. It is a show of respect for their history and presence. This is to acknowledge the past, present, and future of Indigenous Peoples from the lands on which we now live and work. A Land Acknowledgment is the first step in honoring Indigenous Peoples, but we encourage you to continue to explore the history and seek education on how to support them now and in the future. Here are some ways to get started:
- Go here (https://native-land.ca/) to learn whose land you’re on.
- Visit the Massachusetts Center (https://www.mcnaa.org/) for Native American Awareness, Inc. located at 85 Constitution Ln #3-B1, Danvers, MA 01923.
- Visit the North American Indian Center of Boston (http://www.naicob.org/) located at 105 S Huntington Ave, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.
- Ask our librarians at the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers (add link) about our Native American collection.