Harvard University is located on the traditional and ancestral land of the Massachusett, the original inhabitants of what is now known as Boston and Cambridge. We pay respect to the people of the Massachusett Tribe, past, present, and future, and honor the land itself which remains sacred. This acknowledgment of land and people is only a starting point: our study of religion and migration in America must be understood within the context of settler-colonialism, and the displacement, dispossession, and dehumanization of indigenous people. The Pluralism Project’s place-based study of religion in America seeks to better acknowledge these complex intersections and ongoing consequences, while honoring the distinct, diverse, and vital traditions of Native Americans, including Native Traditions in Boston.
This acknowledgment of people and land is informed by statements from the Harvard University Native American Program, the Immigration History Research Center, and the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness.