09/30/2024
Today is marked as The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It commemorates the history and ongoing legacy of the Canadian Indian residential school system and the trauma experienced there. Today honours the children who never returned home, survivors who attended residential schools, their families, and communities.
Today is also known as Orange Shirt Day. This is because it originates from the story of survivor Phyllis Webstad. She shared her experience of when she was six, on her first day of residential schooling. She was stripped of her belongings, including her new orange shirt her grandmother bought her. The orange shirt was never returned. This orange shirt now symbolizes the stripping away of culture, identity, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
Today, we pause to reflect on the past, acknowledge the painful history of residential schools, the lasting impact on Indigenous communities, and the importance of reconciliation.
Demonstrate your support by wearing an orange shirt and taking the time to learn more about the history of this day.