Land Acknowledgement
Opus 40 is situated on over 63 acres of what is now called Saugerties, New York, part of the ancestral homelands of the Munsee, Lenape, and Mohican tribes. This land was inhabited, cared for, and shaped by the Indigenous peoples from these tribes and nations, and their voices and histories must be heard. We at Opus 40 recognize the violent legacies of colonialism, and aim to sensitively steward this land in a spirit of gratitude, acknowledging the role of all Indigenous people in our region.
Unlocking Acknowledgement
The definition of acknowledgement is the “acceptance of the truth or existence of something.” One acknowledges something or someone, perhaps one acknowledges a mistake. Authors acknowledge their sources at the end of a book. And for the last 15 years many cultural organizations have compiled and published land acknowledgement statements to situate their organization within the history of land theft, extractive capitalism, and exploited or forced labor.
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Staff at Opus 40 have begun the process of compiling a land acknowledgement with the leadership and guidance of Heather Bruegl, Independent Consultant and Historian. We have also had two conversations with the Cultural Affairs Department of the Stockbridge Munsee Band of the Mohican Indians and look forward to their input. Our staff and Ms. Bruegl spent a day working at the Swimming Hole Foundation — going through questions, sharing ideas, and learning from Ms. Bruegl. This work-retreat began our process toward a land acknowledgement statement and the larger reckoning and accompanying reparative actions it will engender.
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Opus 40 is situated on over 63 acres in what is now Saugerties, New York. This land was lived on, tended, harvested, visited, and cared for by the Munsee, Lenape, and Mohican people, among others. We are currently in the process of doing outreach to the federally recognized tribes who called this land home.
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The namesake of the Mohican Tribe is the Muhheacannituck, “the river that flows both ways,” also known as the Hudson River. The original name of the Mohicans was Muhheaconneok or Muhheconeew, meaning “People of the Waters that are Never Still.”
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There is archeological evidence that these Indigenous people lived in this area for 12,000 years — until their land was taken by Europeans in the 18th and 19th centuries, and they were forcibly evicted and often killed. The stolen land was then available for enslaved and exploited labor.
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This is where we, those of us who run Opus 40, are beginning — by reckoning with the devastating history of the original and rightful inhabitants of the land we now care for. We are committed to transforming our work— to address, illuminate, and actively reckon with this history and to think through our part in reparations and land justice.
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This will be an open process. Your ideas, voices and concerns are welcome. We will be working with our community of Indigenous educators and artists to think this through in public programs as well as in meetings and research. Let us know if you want to connect — info@opus40.org.
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