Remember, reflect, renew: Truth and Reconciliation Week at Loyalist College

Belleville, Ontario, Sept. 29, 2023 – Earlier this week, enveloped by sunshine, grass and open sky, over 200 Loyalist College students and employees came together for a tobacco ceremony to mark the opening of Truth and Reconciliation Week. The week is a profound time for reflection and learning as the Loyalist College community remembers the children who never made it home from residential schools and honours the survivors, their families and their communities.

The opening tobacco ceremony took place at the A’nó:wara Learning Circle, an outdoor space on the college’s Belleville campus dedicated to Indigenous knowledge, culture and tradition. Named for the Mohawk word for ‘turtle,’ the A’nó:wara Learning Circle is a teaching and learning space closely linked to the natural world surrounding it. The view of the wetlands, trees and sprawling acreage of Loyalist campus provides a safe, peaceful environment for Indigenous community members to practise their culture and share knowledge through outdoor classes, workshops and ceremonies.

The ceremony began when Chavis Maracle, a second-year Culinary Management student, awakened the fire and staff from the college’s Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks Indigenous Centre team offered attendees a handful of tobacco, encouraging participants to set intentions for the week ahead. Tobacco is regarded as a sacred gift, traditionally burned in open fire for ceremonial purposes. Participants then placed their tobacco in a basket, signifying the thoughts and intentions of the gathered individuals mingling together in the community. The combined offering was burned in the central fire pit, the rising smoke releasing participants’ collective intentions to the sky.

The Director of Indigenous Services, Tewathahá:kwa Jennifer Maracle and Indigenous Student Success Mentor, Iakotakienni Froats delivered the Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen, the Haudenosaunee opening address. After giving thanks to members of the cosmological family, the ceremony closed with a teaching from Jennifer, who spoke about the painful legacy of colonization, the residential school system and the enduring resilience of Indigenous peoples.

“The events of this week are designed to help our Loyalist College community to understand the lasting, intergenerational impact of the residential school system, and create space to celebrate the living Indigenous cultures that have survived despite colonization,” says Tewathahá:kwa Jennifer Maracle. “The outstanding number of participants in our tobacco ceremony, and the continued engagement of students and staff, is a testament to the progress Loyalist College is making toward positive change, healing and growth. With more educational programming for our college community launching later this academic year, we will continue bringing Indigenous ways of knowing into our classrooms and offices. We aim to ensure that Indigenous students feel a sense of belonging here at Loyalist and that our non-Indigenous students and staff gain a deeper understanding of the history of the land they live and learn on.”

Opportunities for learning, reflection and remembrance continued throughout the week. A display at the campus’ main entrance catalogues the unmarked graves discovered on the grounds of former residential schools. Staff and students are encouraged to wear orange shirts and ribbons to demonstrate their support for the Orange Shirt Campaign, honouring those impacted by the residential school system.   

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, the Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks team led college community members through the blanket exercise. This hands-on activity uses Indigenous methodologies to build an understanding of our shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. The exercise begins with participants walking freely on the circle of blankets, representing Indigenous nations’ relationship with the land pre-contact with European settlers. As the Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks team spoke about the history of treaty-making, colonization and resistance, blankets were removed, and participants’ movements were restricted, symbolizing the loss of Indigenous rights, lands and lives through colonization. The exercise concluded with a group conversation to unpack participants’ emotional experiences and the knowledge they gained by engaging with Canada’s colonial history.

Trevor Knapaysweet, Journalism – Communications student and Indigenous Student Government Leader, emphasized the profound impact of Loyalist College’s activities during Truth and Reconciliation Week, stating, “These events, and the commitment to bringing Indigenous ways of knowing into the classroom, are vital steps toward fostering a sense of belonging for Indigenous students. It deepens the understanding of our shared history to collectively pave the path to healing, growth, and positive change within our college community.”

Truth and Reconciliation Week at Loyalist also includes moments for hope, gratitude and cultural celebration, with daily activities such as a nature walk on campus, drum making, and a Métis artifact display. In addition, the Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks team visited Loyalist College in Toronto and Loyalist College in Port Hope on Sept. 22 to offer a medicine bag-making workshop.   

“Thanks to the guidance and dedication of our Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks team, Loyalist College has made great strides toward decolonizing our institution – but we still have a long way to go,” acknowledges Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick. “During Truth and Reconciliation Week, we come together to remember the lives lost to the residential school system and renew our commitment to be a leader in advancing the Calls to Action from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”

About Loyalist College     

Loyalist College is built upon the lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. We affirm and thank the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Huron-Wendat nations for their continued caretaking of the land. At Loyalist, we empower our students with wraparound support services and hands-on training to succeed on any path they choose. Our academic programs are responsive and innovative, designed to solve pressing social and economic challenges and meet the evolving needs of our regional industry and community partners. Our graduates enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge they need to be better global citizens, and with future-focused skills to lead change in their fields. With a presence in Belleville, Bancroft, Port Hope, Tyendinaga and Toronto, we believe our institutional responsibility extends beyond the classroom to seeing the big picture for the communities we serve. Our expertise in applied research and deep connections to local industry support economic development, to the benefit of businesses, entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Our commitment to decolonization, and the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable world, means we hold ourselves accountable to the diverse perspectives, cultures and experiences that shape our communities.