First Queen鈥檚 Remembers plinth unveiled

First Queen鈥檚 Remembers plinth unveiled

By Phil Gaudreau

October 16, 2017

Share

Visitors to Queen鈥檚 University now have a new resource to educate them about the traditional inhabitants of what we know today as the Kingston area.

On Monday afternoon, Principal Daniel Woolf and senior executives; Indigenous leaders including Kanonhsyonne (Janice Hill) and Marlene Brant Castellano; and members of the Queen鈥檚, Kingston, and local Indigenous communities gathered to unveil a plinth dedicated to the Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee peoples. The plinth, which includes a concrete base and a six page book, is the first in a series of monuments to be unveiled across campus as part of the 鈥淨ueen鈥檚 Remembers鈥 initiative led by Principal Woolf.

鈥淭his is a heartfelt recognition that, before these limestone buildings were here and before the first class sat, these were the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples,鈥 says Principal Woolf. 鈥淔or too long, our country鈥檚 misrepresentation of history and mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples has been hidden from view, only to perpetuate and contribute to their suffering. To move forward in healing, we must again acknowledge Queen鈥檚 own history as an institution that participated in a colonial tradition that caused great harm to Indigenous people.鈥

As part of today鈥檚 launch, a has been launched regarding the Queen鈥檚 Remembers initiative.

Please stay tuned for news about future Queen鈥檚 Remembers plinths to be unveiled in the coming months.