Residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad founded Orange Shirt Day, which is honoured on Sept. 30.
By Amanda Pompilii
On Tuesday, September 30, Canada had its fourth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, as well as the 12th annual Orange Shirt Day.
For over 100 years, up until the last residential schools closed in the 1990s, more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children in Canada were separated from their families and taken to these institutions, with the aim of taking away their traditions, cultures and languages.
First observed on September 30, 2021, Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation commemorates the Indigenous lives that were lost and impacted due to the legacy of residential schools.
Also honoured each year on September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, which was first recognized in 2013 and founded by residential school survivor, Phyllis Webstad. Webstad, who is Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band), derived the “Orange Shirt” name from her own experience.
She was only 6 years old when her new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at a residential school and never returned to her. As the founder and ambassador of the Orange Shirt Society, Webstad now encourages Canadian communities to commemorate Orange Shirt Day annually by wearing an orange shirt and raising awareness of, as well as educating about, reconciliation.
Last month, I contacted Charlottetown Junior Public School to find out more about how staff and students were planning to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on September 30. For Charlottetown’s principal, Beatrice Chen, educating students about Indigenous cultures and traditions is a year-round focus.
“At Charlottetown, Indigenous education is an integral part of our everyday learning,” Chen noted. “Our students are engaged in learning about the significant contributions of Indigenous peoples, and in developing a deeper awareness of our own connections to the land.”
As for how the school would be marking September 30, Chen stated that, on the day, “our school will hold an assembly to honour the many children who were forced to endure residential schools.” Also planned for the commemorative day was the wearing of orange shirts to “demonstrate our collective commitment to remembrance and reconciliation.”
Last year, to mark the occasion, Charlottetown welcomed a residential school survivor who shared her own experiences with students and staff. “[She] offer[ed] our community a meaningful opportunity to listen, reflect and learn.”
Although the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day has passed, the purpose of September 30 – to honour, preserve and pass down the voices of Indigenous survivors, communities and families – remains significant in shaping our day-to-day lives. As Chen explained, “While we acknowledge this painful part of Canadian history, we also recognize and learn from the resilience, strength and courage of survivors.”
You can consult the Orange Shirt Society at orangeshirtday.org and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at https://nctr.ca for more information, educational resources, programs and upcoming events.