It’s been about four months since Lisa Maracle, MA’24, stepped into the role of Associate Vice-Principal of Indigenous Initiatives at Queen’s – though “it feels like a lot less,” she laughs.
“It’s been a whirlwind – time has just flown by!”
One reason it’s felt so quick, she says, is the steep learning curve that comes with working in post-secondary for the first time. But even more, she adds, it’s the pace of meeting so many new people and building relationships across campus and beyond.
Thankfully, though, building relationships is something she says she not only loves but has spent much of her career doing.
Maracle is a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and before coming to Queen’s in February, she worked for 25 years with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Administration Office. For the last 12 years, she was the Director of Community Services there, where she oversaw nine departments.
“Our office here at Queen’s is really all about building community, advancing reconciliation, and integrating Indigenous ways of knowing and being into the university,” she says. “And so, like what I was doing before, a big part of my job is getting to know people in a meaningful way and creating space for their perspectives to be shared and valued.”
That focus on connection carries through all aspects of her job, she adds – whether that means being a liaison between Queen’s and Indigenous communities, advising leadership on reconciliation, or leading initiatives that deepen understanding of Indigenous histories and perspectives.
The Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) was created through a recommendation of Queen’s Truth and Reconciliation Comֱ Task Force Final Report in 2017. Its first leader was Kanonhsyonne (Janice Hill), who retired last year.
We recently sat down with Maracle to hear more about why she wanted to come to Queen’s, how she’s trying to build those relationships in the new role, and how alumni might mark National Indigenous History Month this June.
You’re a Queen’s alum, so you obviously know the university. But you haven’t worked here before or in post-secondary. So, what was it about this position that attracted you to it?
You know, honestly, if I had seen this job posting online myself, I might have just scrolled right by because I don’t have that post-secondary experience. But the opportunity was sent to me by a number of friends and colleagues, and I talked to the recruiter, thought a lot about it, and thought it was a challenge I was needing. I was at a point in life where I had worked for my community for 25 years and was thinking of finding something new to do. As I learned more about this role and saw all of the incredible work that the team had been doing since 2017, I wanted to be a part of it. There was also the challenge and opportunity to help effect change at a long-standing colonial institution steeped in tradition.
You mentioned that building relationships is a really key part of this job. How do you do that at a big institution like Queen’s?
I think it will be about drawing on a lot of that experience I had with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Administration Office. The directorate was a mishmash of a variety of large programs that impacted a lot of different people, and so that position – and this new one I’m in – is about talking to people and getting everybody’s perspective. In traditional Haudenosaunee culture, everybody has a voice and everybody has an opportunity to give their input. That’s what I want to do here. That takes time, and especially here when that relationship-building includes everyone from the principal to faculty to staff to students to the Indigenous folks here at Queen’s to the Indigenous communities that surround us. But it’s really important for the work we’re doing.
What other life experiences will you be drawing on in this role? You graduated last year with a master’s degree in cultural studies from Queen’s, for instance. Do you see any connections there?
Yeah, I think there’s a bit of an overlap. My capstone explored how Indigenous communities might begin the process of introducing restorative justice initiatives in ways that reflect their own values and teachings. It emphasized the importance of community dialogue in addressing harm, understanding root causes, and finding meaningful, collective paths toward resolution and healing. So again, it comes back to that relationship-building process, talking with community to have all perspectives. I also just have a personal passion for research and digging into files, so I’ll be drawing on that, especially with a couple of ongoing issues here that have been brought to light and that I’m starting to learn about.
We’re talking on the eve of National Indigenous History Month. Do you have any suggestions for how your fellow Queen’s alumni might recognize the month?
I think a good place to start is to just learn about the Indigenous communities in your surrounding area. Find out about the ancestral land you’re on and think about your relationship with it and the people whose ancestral land it is. Learning about that truth comes before reconciliation. I’d also suggest reading the , the , and Queen’s Truth and Reconciliation Comֱ Task Force Final Report. Also stay tuned to what we’ll be doing in the OII this month. So far, we have another Elder’s Talk planned with our Cultural Advisor, Te ho wis kwûnt (Allen Doxtator), who is also hosting a fire for peace and good mind at Tsi Yakwanahstahsontéhrha – the place where we extend the rafters, the Outdoor Indigenous Gathering Space on campus. All are welcome!
For more info about the Office of Indigenous Initiatives – including plans for National Indigenous History Month – head to its website and Facebook, , and channels.
