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Hemlock Tattoo would like to acknowledge our location and role to play within 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), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley First Nations), and the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. We want to express our deep gratitude for the people of these nations for caring for the land and all the sacrifices they have made in doing so.

We want to acknowledge our privileged position to be operating on this extremely abundant land and to recognize that ALL people residing here are Treaty 7 people. In the spirit of acknowledging this history we want to conduct ourselves in a way that honours the Seven Teachings of the Blackfoot, Cree, and Ojibwe people. These teachings are comprised of courage, honesty, humility, love, respect, truth and wisdom and they perfectly encompass how we wish to operate and share space in Treaty 7 territory.

We also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the indigenous origins and history of tattooing in North America as well as in a wider global context. Our modern western understanding of tattooing barely passes a glance at the deep, symbolic and sacred roots tattooing has in indigenous cultures. As a team we want to participate in changing this via the dissemination of information/education and supporting those who are working to revive and protect the ancestral tattoo techniques, motifs and patterns that colonialism sought to erase.

Thank you to Cheryle Chagnon-Greyeyes for her warmth, wisdom and guidance and to all future educators and experts for sharing their knowledge with us. We want to commit ourselves to continuing to amplify voices and seeking out the expertise of the historical stewards of this land we call home.

-Hemlock Tattoo

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