Every year on September 30, Canadians celebrate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which coincides with Orange Shirt Day. This day honours the survivors of the residential school system, paying remembrance to the children who had suffered at the hands of Canada’s historically cruel plans for assimilation. It invites all Canadians to reflect on the ongoing impacts of our colonialistic roots, and to commit to a more just future for Indigenous communities.
The Story of the Orange Shirt
Orange Shirt Day finds its roots in the story of Phyllis Webstad, a Secwépemc woman from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation and a survivor of the residential school system. As a six-year-old child in 1973, Phyllis wore a new orange shirt purchased by her grandmother when she was sent to a residential school.
Upon arrival, her clothes were taken from her and never returned, an event that came to symbolize the broader erasure of cultural and personal identity experienced by many Indigenous children (Orange Shirt Society, n.d.; Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., 2023).
The story struck a chord among survivors and communities. In 2013, during a commemoration project at the former St. Joseph Mission site in British Columbia, survivors and community members embraced the orange shirt as a symbol. They encouraged Canadians to wear orange on September 30 as a collective act of remembrance and reflection (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2021).
Why September 30?
The date of September 30 holds significance: it roughly marks the time of year when Indigenous children were historically taken from their homes and sent to residential schools (Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., 2023).
In 2021, the Canadian federal government passed legislation making September 30 a statutory holiday, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Though Orange Shirt day began as a grassroots movement, it was adopted into policy (Government of Canada, 2024; Library of Congress blog, 2024).
The Residential Schools
From the early 1800s to 1996, an estimated 150,000 Indigenous children, consisting of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, were forced into residential schools operated by churches in conjunction with the governing bodies. These schools sought to explicitly assimilate Indigenous children into Euro-Canadian culture by stripping them of their language, spirituality, and cultural identities (Indigenous Foundations, UBC, n.d.; The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2021).
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, collected testimonies from more than 6,000 witnesses and released its findings and 94 Calls to Action in 2015 (Government of Canada, 2015; NCTR, n.d.).
The harms inflicted by the residential school system were generational and long-lasting. Many children endured abuse, neglect, poor nutrition, and separation from families, and health outcomes among Indigenous populations have been correlated with residential school experiences. These include poorer self-rated health, higher rates of chronic and infectious diseases, mental distress, depression, substance misuse, and suicidal behaviours (Turner et al., 2017).
The legacy of residential schools contributes to cycles of trauma and systemic inequities. Children and grandchildren of survivors often face the ripple effects in family dynamics, identity, community cohesion, and access to services (Bombay, Matheson, & Anisman, 2014)
How to Honour Orange Shirt Day and The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Though wearing an orange shirt to celebrate is a start, progress is best made when our actions are impactful rather than merely performative. Here are some meaningful ways individuals, organizations, and communities can mark the day:
- Learn the history and truth: read TRC reports, Survivor testimonies, and educational materials to enhance your learning and clear up misconceptions.
- Support Indigenous commerce: purchase from Indigenous artists and businesses, providing them monetary support while receiving authentic goods of your own.
- Attend events: attend memorial walks, ceremonies, film screenings, panels, or community dialogues.
Orange Shirt Day should not be a one-day gesture. Reconciliation should be an ongoing process consisting of respectful dialogue, listening, accountability, and institutional change.
Conclusion
Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation encourage Canadians to confront painful truths, amplify Indigenous voices, and commit to engaging in respectful and meaningful reconciliation efforts. By acknowledging the past, listening to survivors, and making meaningful change in our communities, we are able to better equip ourselves with the knowledge to take action.
References
Bombay, A., Matheson, K., & Anisman, H. (2014). The intergenerational effects of Indian Residential Schools: Implications for the concept of historical trauma. Transcultural Psychiatry, 51(3), 320–338. doi:10.1177/1363461513503380
Government of Canada. (2024). National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html
Honouring the Truth, Reconciliation Commission. (2015). Honouring the truth, reconciling for the future: Summary of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Government of Canada. https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.800288/publication.html
Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. (2023). What is Orange Shirt Day? https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/what-is-orange-shirt-day
Indigenous Foundations, UBC. (n.d.). The residential school system. https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/the_residential_school_system/
National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR). (n.d.). Reports and publications. https://nctr.ca/publications-and-reports/reports/
Orange Shirt Society. (n.d.). Orange Shirt Day. https://orangeshirtday.org/orange-shirt-day/
The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2021). Orange Shirt Day. https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/orange-shirt-day
Turner, S., Frank, R., Ashton, L., & Gauthier, C. (2017). Residential schools and the effects on Indigenous health and well-being in Canada: A scoping review. International Journal of Health, etc. (Note: this is illustrative; replace with proper bibliographic detail as needed)
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