Dr. Jennifer Maracle with two members of the Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks Indigenous Centre on either side.
Loyalist College in Belleville marked the start of Truth and Reconciliation Week, with the unveiling of a timeline on Monday.
The Truth Before Reconciliation Timeline is located outside the entrance to the Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks Indigenous Centre. The space was once a lecture hall, located on the ground floor of the Kente building. The Mohawk title translates to “the place where we gather as family.” The Centre supports roughly 300 Indigenous students.
The idea for the Truth Before Reconciliation Timeline started last spring, when Loyalist College staff and students continued to contact the Indigenous Centre team, asking for more information.
The added awareness in part is credited to the 4 Seasons of Reconciliation online program, which was established in 2024. The program for Loyalist College staff was developed in partnership with the First Nations University of Canada.
“I don’t believe Truth and Reconciliation is the responsibility of one group. It is not the responsibility of non-Indigenous people, but it is a partnership, that we both have to participate in,” said Dr. Jennifer Maracle, Executive Director of Indigenous Engagement and Applied Research at Loyalist.
A sweetgrass braid is woven through the timeline that starts before European Contact and shares key milestones up until today.
Chief R. Don Maracle, with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, spoke at the gathering, encouraging students and staff to be mindful of the shared history with Indigenous peoples.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, known as Orange Shirt Day, is Wednesday.
