Current exhibit

Against the Grain: Mennonite Archives, Indigenous Histories

May 2022 - April 2024

Map (detail) from 1818 of early Mennonite settlement of Kitchener, including Mill Street which followed an established Mississauga route.

Map (detail) from 1818 of early Mennonite settlement of Kitchener, including Mill Street which followed an established Mississauga route.

Exhibit hours are library hours.

Contact the Archivist for more information.

Brush a piece of napped fabric against the grain and contrasting colours and patterns appear.

Historians read documents against the grain to make visible multiple and diverse experiences of the past. Reading against the grain is one way to uncover hidden Indigenous histories and colonial legacies. 

This exhibit invites viewers to practice reading documents of Indigenous and Mennonite encounter against the grain. In the gallery area these include newspapers, maps, and documents from Mennonite involvements in Indigenous communities.  Inside the library are two more displays, discussing settler narratives and land grants.

All original materials are from the collections of the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. Texts in red indicate Indigenous voices and sources, and encourage further reading.

Inspiration for this exhibit comes from the planning for Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters in Time and Place, a gathering in May 2022 offering stories and analysis with the intent of advancing understanding, reconciliation and justice. 

Past exhibits:

Conchies Speak: Ontario Mennonites in Alternative Service, 1941-1946

Sites of Nonresistance: Ontario Mennonites and the First World War

Growing Family: Design & Desire in Mennonite Genealogy

Hours

Generally 8:30-4:30 Monday to Friday. An appointment in advance is recommended.

Contact

Mennonite Archives of Ontario
Conrad Grebel University College
140 Westmount Road North
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G6

Phone: 519-885-0220 x24238