What is Land Back? First, let’s discuss what it is not. The goal isn’t to take back all lands in North America and then force people out. Rather, it’s about opportunities for Native people to have swaths of land returned or to buy land. They’re usually signed agreements. Then Native tribes can buy land with ancestral connections.
Native tribes reclaiming ancestral lands paves the way for healing. Stewarding of the land allows for tribes to plant Indigenous foods. To connect culturally with natural materials and sacred sites. The tribe often improves the environment of the returned lands. They clean up lands and waterways that were neglected for decades. Then plants, animals, and marine life return and thrive.
How is ancestral land returned to tribes?
In March 2024, the Yurok Tribe received a return of 125 acres of land. This land includes an area in the Redwoods National Park. The National Park Service and California State Parks formed a partnership. They worked together to return this land to the Tribe. Now the Yurok Tribe is restoring the Klamath River so that salmon can thrive again. They’ve already successfully removed four dams.
The City Council of Berkeley, CA voted to give an area of 2.2 acres to the Ohlone Tribe. The land was a parking lot. But the Tribe plans to grow Native foods and medicines. It will be a site for Native youth to connect with their heritage.
A property owner donated one acre in Altadena, CA to the Tongva Tribe. The land is worth millions of dollars. But the owner wanted the land preserved and cherished. The Tongva want to grow Indigenous plants on the land. They’ll also hold ceremonies and educational programs there.
The Pee Dee Indian Tribe of South Carolina and Dogwood Alliance formed a partnership. Together, they secured the return of 92 acres of ancestral land to the Tribe.
The Pee Dee Tribe has built a cultural center. They’re now stewarding the protection of precious wetlands and untouched forests.
Returned lands lead to food sovereignty
Reclaiming land is important for food sovereignty. Food sovereignty means that communities are in control of their food. It means access to healthy food. It’s a community’s right to decide how they make and share their food. With reclaimed lands, Native people often plant traditional foods. They can harvest wild rice. And they can restore traditional hunting and fishing practices.
Over 20 years, the Wiyot Tribe worked to buy ancestral land on Tuluwat Island, CA. Before this, the area was a commercial shipyard. The island was contaminated with toxins like dioxins and pentachlorophenol oils. The Wiyot spearheaded the clean-up of the island. By restoring the land and marine habitat, the Wiyot will grow Indigenous plants. They’ll use these waterways for fishing.
Good fire? Cultural burning of land
Cultural burning is a common Indigenous practice. It’s burning areas of land in a controlled fashion. This often has a cultural and ecological benefit. Cultural burning is a low-intensity burn. It reduces flammable vegetation. That stimulates growth in some cases. In other cases, it can reduce wildfires.
Cultural burning is completely different from large-scale forest biomass burning. Burning wood pellets for electricity harms communities, forests, and our climate. Cultural burning nurtures the environment. It promotes forest health not destruction.
These burns also create resources used culturally. Many Native plants are part of crafts and ceremonies. For example. the Yurok Tribe weaves baskets out of hazel. Hazel has long stems ideal for weaving. Yet, these long stems only emerge after a fire. Now, basket weavers have more access to hazel.
Fire restrictions have prevented Indigenous tribes from practicing cultural burns. This has changed in recent years. Scientific evidence supports the benefits of prescribed burning. State and federal agencies now work with tribal communities. They now involve more Native communities in managing landscapes. With fire training, the Forest Service now allows some cultural burns.
Goals of the Land Back Movement
There are many negative consequences when Indigenous communities lack access to ancestral lands. Both ecological and human health suffer. Traditional ways of connecting to culture and spirituality are lost.
The land back movement has been going on for decades. It has gained more notice in recent years. Social media posts with the #landback hashtag have helped. It’s a way for Indigenous people to regain sovereignty of lands. Land back goals tend to include similar objectives:
- sustainable stewardship
- dignity
- access to food and land resources
- preservation of traditions
Partnering with communities builds opportunities for land conservation and equity. Want to get involved in the land back movement? Reach out to your local Indigenous communities and organizations. Listen to what they want to achieve with land back. Then you’ll learn how you can help the community’s land back goals.