Schools in Alberta and across Canada recognize Orange Shirt Day on September 30. It’s a day to honour children that survived residential school, and to remember the lives that were lost. Wearing orange is a symbol of respect and mourning.
Why is it important to learn about Orange Shirt Day?
Orange Shirt Day was inspired by Phyllis’s story and launched in 2013. Its goal is to educate people about residential schools in Canada and to honour and remember the experiences and loss of the First Nation, Inuit and Métis children who were stolen from their families and placed in these schools.
What is the significance of the orange shirt?
The orange shirt is thus used as a symbol of the forced assimilation of Indigenous children that the residential school system enforced. The day was elevated to a statutory holiday by the Canadian government in 2021, in light of the revelations of over 1,000 unmarked graves near former residential school sites.
What is the message of Orange Shirt Day?
Orange Shirt Day is a day to recognize the harms of residential school and affirm a commitment that everyone around us matters. In past years, people at Brandon University have written messages on orange shirts posted in hallways.
Why should we learn about residential schools?
In addition to fostering healing, it is important to teach about the history of residential schools in order to fully understand the current state of Aboriginal concerns within Canada. By educating citizens on this history it allows for the exposure of the tragic events that occurred within the schools.
What does orange represent Indigenous?
Orange Shirt Day takes place on September 30th every year and asks Canadians to participate by also wearing orange on that day. The purpose of wearing orange is to show a unified step towards reconciliation and building stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
How do you honor an Orange Shirt Day?
5 ways to honour Orange Shirt Day
- Explore the Residential School Timeline.
- Learn more about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Explore the findings from the final report and read the Summary of the Final Report.
- Learn more about and share Phyllis’ story:
Should you wear orange on National Indigenous Peoples day?
This date is an opportunity to educate people and promote awareness about the Indian Residential School system and the impact this system had on Indigenous communities for more than a century in Canada, and which still does today. Canadians are encouraged to wear an orange shirt on this day.
What is the story behind every child matters?
“Every Child Matters” is the Orange Shirt Day slogan, meaning that all children are important – including the ones left behind and the adult survivors who are still healing from the trauma of Indian Residential Schools.
Why is orange the color for Every Child Matters?
While the colour orange used to symbolize to Phyllis Webstad that she didn’t matter, today it represents hope that Indigenous families and communities are healing. It has become a symbol of defiance and a commitment to a better future. The orange shirt now represents hope and reconciliation.
What does Every Child Matters mean for schools?
A helpful acronym to remember the five parts is SHEEP – Every child shall be: Safe, Healthy, Enjoy/Achieve, Economic, Positive contribution. It is the central goal of Every Child Matters to ensure every pupil is given the chance to be able to work towards the goals referenced within it.
What does wearing orange mean?
This year during National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 4 and Wear Orange Weekend from June 5-6, more than 1,000 partner organizations, influencers, corporate brands, elected officials, and landmarks joined hundreds of thousands of Americans to unite around a call to end gun violence.
Why is it important to learn about indigenous peoples?
Understanding Indigenous Populations
Not only can it give you a greater appreciation of the different people who have contributed to the history of a region, but it can also help stop the loss of these cultures. Learning about and celebrating Indigenous culture is one way to foster and encourage cultural pride.
What did residential schools teach us?
Girls were primed for domestic service and taught to do laundry, sew, cook, and clean. Boys were taught carpentry, tinsmithing, and farming. Many students attended class part-time and worked for the school the rest of the time: girls did the housekeeping; boys, general maintenance and agriculture.
How many kids died in residential schools?
An estimated 6,000 children are believed to have died at the schools. The Prince’s visit – his 19th to the country – will be the first since more than 1,000 unmarked graves were found in unmarked graves at former church-run schools last year.
Is Orange Shirt Day good?
September 30 is the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known—in many elementary schools and communities—as Orange Shirt Day. It’s meant for people to reflect on the history of residential schools, and the survivors that live on today.
Is Orange Shirt Day enough?
Earlier this year, the federal government recognized this day as a statutory holiday to give Canadians the opportunity to pause and reflect, to grieve and to move forward with truth and reconciliation. This recognition is important and long overdue. It is also not enough.
How can we honor Indigenous day?
How to Celebrate and Respect Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Identify and acknowledge the Native land you live on.
- Attend a celebration hosted by an Indigenous organization that honors Indigenous people and cultures.
- Take part in an online or in-person event, such as those hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian.
Why is it called Orange Shirt Day?
Orange Shirt Day is so named because the grandmother of a little girl (Phyllis Webstad) bought her an orange shirt to wear for her first day of school. As soon as the girl got to the school, the teachers took her shirt and all her belongings and destroyed them.
Why is orange the color for Indigenous children?
Through the Eyes of a 6-Year-old Child, Orange Became a Symbol of an Indigenous Movement. Phyllis Webstad, a tribal citizen of the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, is a prime example of how one person can make a difference and create an Indigenous movement across North America.
What can we do to help residential school survivors?
Please contact The Indian Residential School Survivors Society toll-free 1 (800) 721-0066 or 24hr Crisis Line 1 (866) 925-4419 if you require further emotional support or assistance.
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