Last week, I had the opportunity to hear a talk by Phyllis Webstad, third generation residential school survivor and founder of the Orange Shirt Society. As Canada prepares to mark Orange Shirt Day on September 30, there is a powerful quote from Ms. Webstad’s talk that I just can’t get out of my head— “The truth is not yet fully told.”

Today, I will look at the history of Orange Shirt Day, and recap some of the powerful truths that I took away from Ms. Webstad’s talk. I’ve also got several suggestions on how you can mark this day.

What is Orange Shirt Day?

Orange Shirt Day is a day to commemorate and honour Canada’s Indigenous residential school victims, and survivors like Phyllis Webstad, and her mother and grandmother before her. In 2021, this day, also known as National Truth and Reconciliation Day, is recognized for the first time as an official holiday for federal employers and also in some provinces.

History of Orange Shirt Day

I first shared the story of the 150,000 students who attended 139 residential schools in my Canada Day reflection. It’s a horrific black mark in our country’s history.

Orange Shirt Day started in 2013. It’s the legacy of the St. Joseph Mission Residential School Commemoration Project and Reunion events in Williams Lake, British Columbia. At that event, former student Phyllis Webstad told the story of the orange shirt bought for her by her grandmother that was taken away from her on the first day of school.

We mark this day on September 30 because that’s the time of year when Indigenous children were taken from their homes and families. They suffered the indignity of attending residential schools that would “civilize” them, erase their culture and language, and assimilate them into the settlers’ way of life. During her talk, Ms. Webstad spoke of an elder referring to September as “Crying month” because there was crying in Indigenous communities and at the residential schools.

Warning: The truth can be difficult to hear.
Some of the facts that follow are gruesome and heartbreaking.

Powerful truths from Ms. Webstad’s talk

Like many Canadians, it’s difficult for me to imagine that residential schools were real. Let alone that this happened in my lifetime. One of the first things that struck me was that Phyllis and I share a birthday. She was born on July 13, 1967—making her three years younger than me. Further, as a parent, I can’t imagine the horror of having my children taken from me against my will.

It was hard to hear Phyllis’ story, yet hearing her speak of the “divinely guided” orange shirt movement gives me hope that, if we open our hearts and listen to stories from survivors like Phyllis, we can reconcile our history and find a way to move forward in peace and harmony.

Some of the horrible truths I took away from Phyllis’ talk

• She recalled a feeling of terror on her first day at residential school in 1973. Like the other children, the excitement about wearing her new orange shirt, and going to school was soon replaced with terror and crying.
• The residential school experience sought to erase all Indigenous culture and the children’s individuality. In Phyllis’ words, the experience made her feel like she didn’t matter. Years later, the Orange Shirt Society would adopt the slogan “Every child matters” to represent residential school victims and survivors.
• European settlers, and then the Government of Canada, took away all rights and dignity from our Indigenous peoples. Phyllis’ grandmother needed a pass from the Indian agent—an older white male—to do even the simplest of everyday things like going into town.
• Phyllis’ cousin told her a story passed along by his mother. During their time at residential schools, she and two other girls were tasked with burning babies and fetuses—babies that existed as a result of priests and brothers impregnating young girls. A doctor would come to the school and perform abortions, and the children were tasked with burning the evidence. Those fetuses will never be part of the official count of residential school deaths.
• Phyllis’ mother suffered the indignity of travelling to residential school on a cattle truck. On the hours-long journey, a nun forced the children to say the rosary non-stop.
• Phyllis has no Indigenous name, had no naming ceremony, and didn’t learn the dances and Indigenous customs of her people.
• The intergenerational trauma of the residential school experience continues to this day. Phyllis was raised by her aunt because her mother wasn’t able to take care of her. She gave birth to her son at the age of 13. Today, her son is grown and raising his own family. The fact that her son is raising his own children is significant. It’s the first time in 4 generations of Phyllis’ family that this has been possible.

Phyllis quit her job in 2019 to focus full-time on Orange Shirt Day. As difficult as her story is to hear, it, and the stories of other survivors, must be told enough times that people will wake up and listen!

7 ways to mark Orange Shirt Day

Depending on where you live in Canada, September 30 may or may not be a holiday for you. Holiday or not, you can still mark the occasion in a number of different ways. Here are some ideas.

• Wear orange to honour residential school victims and survivors and affirm that every child matters.
• Support the important work of the Orange Shirt Society by making a donation, or purchasing one of Ms. Webstad’s books. The society depends on donations and t-shirt sales to continue its work.  
• Reflect on, and learn about, the history of residential schools.
• Commit to learning about Indigenous people, their culture, and their treatment by the Canadian government. I recently completed the free Indigenous Canada course on Coursera, and I highly recommend it. You can read some of my key learnings from the course in this post.
• Explore the findings from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
• Join a community event like the Remember Me Walk organized by The Healing of the Seven Generations here in Kitchener.
• Visit an Indigenous cultural centre or heritage park in your area. Here in Kitchener, the Huron Natural Area has a wonderful educational display about the Indigenous people who originally inhabited our area.

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It’s not just a single day

This is our history. This is your history.

Phyllis Webstad

Finally, it’s not enough to just throw on an orange shirt for the day, and then move on. After Orange Shirt Day is over for this year, continue to educate yourself and show your support for our Indigenous brothers and sisters. It’s the only way we will ever achieve healing and reconciliation.

Please share this post. The truth needs to be told. Miigwech! Thank you!

How will you mark Orange Shirt Day? Tell me your plans below.