Loyalist College Opens Indigenous Centre to Launch Truth and Reconciliation Week
Date: September 30, 2025
Loyalist College officially opened its new and expanded Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks Indigenous Centre this week, marking the beginning of Truth and Reconciliation Week, which runs from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3.
Located on the Belleville campus, the centre serves as a dedicated gathering place for Indigenous students while also offering cultural programming, resources, and opportunities for learning to the wider college community. College leaders say the space reflects an ongoing commitment to reconciliation, Indigenous inclusion, and student support.
The name Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks translates from Kanyen’kéha:ka (Mohawk) as “Place Where We Gather As Family.” Designed to feel welcoming and home-like, the centre is intended to support both academic success and cultural connection, providing a space where Indigenous identity can be celebrated and strengthened.
Jennifer Tewathahá:kwa Maracle, Loyalist’s executive director of Indigenous engagement and applied research, said the opening recognizes the long struggle Indigenous peoples faced in accessing post-secondary education.
“For generations, Indigenous students were required to give up their legal status under the Indian Act in order to attend college or university,” Maracle said. “Today, this space honours those who fought for recognition and equity, and represents our responsibility to continue building a more inclusive institution for future generations.”
The opening coincides with a week of events focused on education, reflection, and community engagement. Activities include cultural teachings, Mohawk language learning, drumming, crafts, and ceremonies held at the A’nó:wara Learning Circle. The week will conclude with a closing fire and reflection ceremony on Friday.
On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, members of the college community were encouraged to wear orange and take part in a campus-wide moment of silence in remembrance of residential school survivors and the children who never returned home.
Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick said the new centre plays a vital role in advancing reconciliation efforts on campus.
“Truth and Reconciliation Week challenges us to reflect on our shared responsibilities in the process of decolonization,” Kirkpatrick said. “This centre provides both a physical home and essential resources for those leading reconciliation work and for the students and staff who are responding to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”
Loyalist College is situated on lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement and acknowledges the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg, and Huron-Wendat Nations as the original caretakers of the territory.
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