National Orange Shirt Day
National Orange Shirt Day is a holiday that started in Williams Lake, British Columbia. It is a pretty new holiday because it was created in 2013, however thousands of people across North America celebrate it. Orange Shirt Day is all about honoring the Indigenous children who were taken into the residential school systems. It is also about remembering the children who didn't return home and recognizing the problems and impacts that residential schools had on survivors, their families, and communities. The orange shirt symbolizes the loss of culture, freedom, and self-esteem that many Indigenous children experienced. The big message of this whole holiday is "Every child matters."
Phyllis Webstad’s Story
Phyllis was six years old in 1973. Her grandmother had gotten her a new, bright orange shirt to wear to school the next day. Unfortunately, when she arrived at St. Joseph Mission Residential School, her brand-new orange shirt was taken away along with the rest of her clothing. Phyllis never got her orange shirt back.
Phyllis is still alive today and gives talks about the challenges she faced as an Indigenous child. She has talked about how the orange shirt reminds her of what happened when she went to the school. She said, "The color orange has always reminded me of that and how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared and how I felt like I was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying and no one cared." Her experience helped start Orange Shirt Day. September 30th was chosen because it was around the time of year when Indigenous children were taken from their homes, or original schools and sent to residential schools.
Residential Schools
Residential schools were schools created to separate many Indigenous children from their families and communities. They were funded by the government, and some were also run by churches. These schools tried to make Indigenous children give up their native languages, cultures, and traditions. Kids could get punished for speaking their native language or practicing their religious customs and traditions. They were separated from their friends, family, and other people they were close to. Many children experienced physical and mental abuse. They also had limited access to healthcare and education and lived in crowded spaces. The last residential school in Canada closed in 1996.
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