The Gowanda Central School District resides on the ancestral lands of the Haudenosaunee which includes the Six Nations of the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk and Tuscarora. They are the original stewards of the land we occupy and use today. 

We acknowledge the challenges faced universally by Indigenous populations, especially our closest neighbor the Seneca, whose language, culture, and traditions have been irreparably impacted since colonization. We embrace the contributions of Haudenosaunee ancestors. We support our Indigenous students and their families, and we celebrate the diversity they bring to our school community. We recognize their resiliency in the face of adversity including residential schools, removal and forced assimilation. We acknowledge it is on these ancestral lands that we live, learn, and gather today. 

The historical relationships between the Haudenosaunee and the land continues to this day. We respectfully acknowledge the continued presence and perseverance of the Seneca Nation and its people. In an effort toward reconciliation we acknowledge all the Indigenous individuals who have offered their guidance, provide expertise and a myriad of opportunities for collaboration. Gowanda Central School District extends its sincere thanks for the past and ongoing generosity of numerous Indigenous communities, especially the Haudenosaunee.