Acknowledgement of the Land & Our Commitment to It:
We acknowledge with gratitude that Southwood House stands on land that has been cared for and cherished by Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial.
We recognize the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas, and acknowledge the enduring presence of Indigenous peoples in this place. We also recognize the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, a commitment to share and care for the lands and waters of the Great Lakes, as well as the Between the Lakes Purchase of 1792 involving the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
For us, acknowledging this history is not simply about looking back. It is about remembering that this land was never empty, and that our relationship with it carries a responsibility.
When we came to Southwood House, we wanted to become caretakers of this small piece of the land rather than simply its owners. Over the years, we and the previous owner have planted approximately fifty trees, including many native Canadian hemlocks, and we are gradually restoring our gardens with native plants that belong naturally to this part of Ontario.
Water is especially important to us. The four water features around the property are a small reminder of something much larger: that clean, living water is essential to every form of life, and that we all have a responsibility to protect it.
Our hope is that Southwood House can be a place of respect, beauty, friendship and connection—a place where people can pause, enjoy the natural world, and perhaps reflect on the long history of the land beneath their feet.
We offer our gratitude to the Indigenous Peoples who have cared for these lands and waters, and to those who continue to do so today.
We also recognize that reconciliation is not accomplished by words alone. It asks us to listen, to learn, to respect Indigenous knowledge and presence, and to consider how our everyday choices can contribute to caring for the land and water for those who will come after us.
We are grateful to be here, and we hope to leave this place a little healthier, kinder and more beautiful than we found it.
Chris and John
The owners of Southwood House
