Orange Shirt Day originated in 2013 as a day to raise awareness about the residential school system and its lasting impact on Indigenous communities. Canadore College continued its tradition of marking the day with song, dance, story, and prayer at an outdoor gathering attended by students and staff. Elder in residence, Lorraine Liberty-Whiteduck, offered words of inspiration and healing, and she encouraged everyone to be kind, caring, and generous to one another.
First-year Indigenous Wellness and Addictions Prevention student, Arthur Koosees, participated in the event. “In Kapuskasing we host a weekend truth and reconciliation event, and it’s nice seeing it here, “said Koosees. “There’s a lot of healing that’s being done that needs to get done. Being part of the bear clan, and going into a healing career, it just feels right for me and I’ll take these opportunities as they come.”
The movement was inspired by Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor. At six years old, Webstad had her new orange shirt, gifted by her grandmother, taken away on her first day at a residential school. The orange shirt has since become a symbol of the loss of culture and identity experienced by Indigenous children in the residential school system.
In 2021, in light of the discoveries of unmarked graves near former residential school sites, September 30 became the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to stop the pace of everyday life and consider the significance of truth and reconciliation and the history behind Orange Shirt Day. Canadore College has formally recognized Orange Shirt Day since its inception.
“I just want to spread awareness to people who may not have heard the story of what the orange shirts mean,” said Gerald McComb, First Peoples’ Centre Cultural Advisor. “But I also want to talk about our side of it; the stories that we carry.”
“It’s a day when we get together to recognize the atrocities of the past but also the way we are moving forward with recognition,” said Sarah Julian, First Peoples’ Centre Director. “Even though we look back and we know that there were bad things that were happening, the fact that we are coming together today shows that people are moving towards truth and reconciliation and looking to make changes.”