Editor’s note: As a member of Discourse Community Publishing, SPIN uses quotation marks around the word “school” because the Truth and Reconciliation Commission found residential “schools” were “an education system in name only for much of its existence.”
Saturday, Sept. 30, is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a federal day of observance that began in 2021 to honour children taken from Indigenous families who were forced to attend “schools” funded by the government of Canada. To learn about residential “schools” in Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) reports offer historical context about the system that sought to erase cultural and family connections of Indigenous children from their families, which the TRC identifies as cultural genocide.
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led movement that began 10 years ago in what’s been briefly known as Williams Lake in Secwépemc Territory by Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, a residential “school” survivor who shared her personal story of staff taking her orange shirt from her. The movement supports communities on a journey to reconciliation, raising awareness about the ongoing inter-generational impacts of residential “schools.”
The Discourse, one of SPIN’s sister publications, has a mini-course for learning about reconciliation. There are six emails in the free course and articles from The Discourse and IndigiNews that cover challenging topics, Indigenous strength, joy and solutions and point you to other opportunities to learn about reconciliation.
While Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) has no official events organized, Mayor Al Raine said they will release a statement about the day.
There are many opportunities to observe Orange Shirt Day from your home in Sun Peaks or by going to Kamloops.
Truth and Reconciliation day events, readings and films
To purchase an orange shirt designed by an Indigenous creator, visit JuggerBean Tattoo Parlour, owned by Amie Easton from Liard River Band. Easton also asks that people donate directly to the Indian Residential School Survivor Society. She will be launching Indigenous tattoo designs as well.
The Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society will host a BBQ on Sept. 28 at 11 a.m., with food, live music and children’s face painting.
Thompson Rivers University has an orange shirt day event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 29, where the Office of Indigenous Education welcomes staff, students and visitors alike to honour children who attended residential “schools.” The university will close on Sept. 30.
There will be drumming, Indigenous vendors, reconciliation activities and community speakers at the Campus Activity Centre. A Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (TteS) Elder will lead in an opening prayer, the Chief and Council will welcome guests to the territory and university officials will speak. Residential “school” survivor guest speakers will also share their stories.
Kamloops Museum & Archives has free admission between Sept. 26 to 29, and there will be educational resources from Kamloops Indian Residential School Survivors and an exhibit about Leonard Marchand Sr., the first person with First Nations status elected to parliament and Canada’s first Indigenous federal cabinet minister. The museum will close on Sept. 30 to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The Discourse, one of SPIN’s sister publications, has a mini-course for learning about reconciliation. There are six emails in the free course and articles from The Discourse and IndigiNews that cover challenging topics, Indigenous strength, joy and solutions and point you to other opportunities to learn about reconciliation.
Educational resources for children and adults are offered by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation out of the University of Manitoba. To learn more about language revitalization, First Voices promotes oral culture and language history. The University of Alberta offers a free, 12 module online course developed by Dr. Tracy Bear exploring the legacy of settler colonialism.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional Library will be closed for Truth and Reconciliation Day, but they offer a selection of books titled Read for Reconciliation. Some titles, like Orange Shirt Day by Phyllis Webstad and Secret Path by Gord Downie and Leff Lemire, were created for children and youth, and others are intended for older audiences.
If you’d like to learn more about Indigenous culture, the National Film Board of Canada has a free, sizable online catalogue of Indigenous films. REEL Canada has an Indigenous-made film catalogue where educators can screen films in their classrooms.
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