‘Beyond Land Acknowledgement’ Workshop with Rev. Houston R. Cypress

Land Acknowledgments are a traditional custom in many Native communities and nations and have served as a means of paying respect to the inhabitants of the land since time immemorial. On Saturday, April 20, from noon to 3 p.m., The Church in Sag Harbor will present “Beyond Land Acknowledgment,” an interdisciplinary workshop with Reverend Houston R. Cypress.

These days, American communities are creating these public ceremonies to represent milestones on the journey of relationship-building, healing and reconciliation. In this three-hour workshop, Cypress, a two-spirit, Indigiqueer artist and environmentalist from the Otter Clan of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, will discuss how to go beyond land acknowledgment into action. Using movement, music, cinema and text, Cypress will guide participants through a process of crafting an interdisciplinary expression of land acknowledgment for the lands on which they live.

This workshop has been programmed as part of Cypress’s 2024 residency at The Church. Rev. Houston R. Cypress grew up in the River of Grass region of the Greater Everglades — a place of refuge for his ancestors and the source of traditional plant medicines. Early on, he appreciated art as a form of knowledge production by learning woodcarving from his grandfather and collaborating with his mother to produce her Miccosukee fashion shows. He embraces poetry as a foundation of his artistic and spiritual practices, including his audiovisual work.

Tickets for the workshop are $10 (free for members) at thechurchsagharbor.org. The Church is at 48 Madison Street in Sag Harbor.