Our Mission
At Native Land Digital, we are proud to be celebrating 10 years of amplifying Indigenous voices and creating space for stories, connection, and learning. Our mission is to uplift Indigenous ways of knowing, and build understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples - through tools like our interactive map, Teacher’s Guide, and Land & Waters Acknowledgement Guide.
As we evolve, we strive to move beyond outdated narratives — offering a platform where Indigenous communities can represent themselves and their stories on their own terms. This work matters because it invites people to deeply reflect on the land they live on, the layers of song, story, and ceremony held within that land, and the responsibilities we all carry in creating a more just and connected future.
The Importance of Land & Waters
Land and waters are sacred. They hold memory, meaning, and life. Whether we’re aware of it or not, the land gives us everything — it is where we live, breathe, grow, love, and connect.
At Native Land Digital, we do not see land as something to be owned, exploited, or divided. Instead, we recognize land as relational and alive — something to be honoured and respected. The act of mapping Indigenous connection to land and waters is complex, but it offers an important opportunity to acknowledge the deep, living presence of Indigenous peoples and stories. The land and waters cannot be reduced to borders or lines, this is why our shapes are translucent and layered. But mapping, when done with care and accountability, can be a pathway toward understanding, reconciliation, and reconnection. It reminds us that every place has many stories, told in many ways — and that Indigenous presence is not a thing of the past, but a powerful force of the present and future.
We hope as we move forward with this work, we can inspire a more intimate and respectful relationship with the lands and waters — grounded in reciprocity, care, and responsibility.
Our Impact
Over the past decade, Native Land Digital has reached millions of people through our map and educational tools. We’ve seen the power of this work firsthand:
- Teachers and students using the Teacher’s Guide to deepen classroom conversations
- Settlers encountering Indigenous place names and stories for the first time
- Indigenous people seeing their own nations reflected in ways rarely offered on Western maps
- People feeling challenged, inspired, uncomfortable, awakened — and ultimately moved to learn more and do better.
We’re proud of the impact our work is having but we know that it also comes with a responsibility. We take this seriously. We recognize that when we make mistakes such as mislabeling, omitting a nation, or failing to respond quickly enough to community input these missteps can cause real harm. We are committed to continuous learning, transparency, and responsiveness, and we invite feedback so we can do better together.
It’s also important to say:
Our map is not a legal document. It is a living, evolving educational tool. We encourage all users to do their own research, engage with local Indigenous communities, and understand that there is no single authoritative version of land — only many lived, relational truths. We are aware that there are people and institutions who may try to misuse this resource. That’s why we remain committed to making our work transparent, accountable, and community-centred.
Moving Forward
As we grow, we continue to root ourselves in our original purpose: to support Indigenous self-determination, visibility, and connection — and to offer a resource that supports people everywhere in building more informed, respectful relationships with the land, waters, and its peoples.
We invite you to journey with us. This is just the beginning.
We will be mapping slowly, with intention — community by community. Each place where the tribal nation has given us permission to share their stories will be highlighted and acknowledged on their nation page.
In this way, we stand by our NLD Data Sovereignty Treaty.
It will take time — but it’s the only way to do it right. And hopefully, with your support, we can achieve this goal together.
When you see the message below and the verified green tick ✅ you’ll know we’ve received the thumbs up:
“This Nation has kindly given us permission to share their stories on this page. We’re grateful for the opportunity to uphold their data sovereignty.”
If you are part of an Indigenous community and would like to add, update or give permission regarding the information on the map, please reach out to us at [email protected] — we would love to hear from you.