“The truth is hard. Reconciliation is harder- ”
““We need to dispel the myth that empathy is ‘walking in someone else’s shoes.’ Rather than walking in your shoes, I need to learn how to listen to the story you tell about what it’s like in your shoes and believe you even when it doesn’t match my experiences.” Brene Brown ”
National Day of Truth & Reconciliation
September 30th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The Indian residential school system operated in Canada between 1831 and 1996. The aim of the schools was to eliminate Indigenous languages and cultures -- and replace them with English and Christian beliefs respectively. Approximately 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were separated from their families and forced to attend the boarding schools, where at least 4,100 students died, with that figure potentially being as high as 15,000, according to the TRC.
Listen to Squamish Elder and day school survivor, expand on the impacts of residential and day schools.
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day that honours the children who survived residential schools and remembers those who did not. This day relates to the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) woman, in which she arrived at residential school dressed in a new orange shirt bought by her grandmother, and her special shirt was cruelly taken from her.
On September 30, we encourage all settlers to wear orange to raise awareness of the very harrowing legacy of residential schools, and to honour the thousands of survivors. The orange shirt is now a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children by assimilationist Canadian policies. The date was chosen because it is the time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools, and because it is an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies for the coming school year. It is an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.
The Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc nation is inviting people to mark the day by learning the Secwépemc Honour Song, traditionally sung at Secwépemc gatherings, and to drum and sing along at 2:15 p.m. PT on Sept. 30. You can learn the Secwépemc Honour Song from the video below.
You can help by:
Learning about the impacts of the Indian Residential School system
Donating to an Indigenous-led cause (eg. IRSSS or UNYA)
Researching the territory in which you live
Talking with your family and friends, including children, about this topic
Respecting trauma survivors and Elders (eg. not asking probing questions, listening mindfully and reflecting when they choose to share)
Donating to an Indigenous-led cause (eg. IRSSS or UNYA)
Reading the Truth and Reconciliation Reports. Choose to personally fight for one or more of the 94 calls to action.
Sending letters to your elected officials urging them to address issues affecting Indigenous peoples, such as accountability of the church and governments for the harms done through residential schools.
Commemorating this day by wearing an orange shirt. The Bill Reid Gallery Shop carries orange shirts designed by Tsm’syen artist Morgan Asoyuf.