Orange Shirt Day is on Friday, September 30th.  On this day, people across Canada wear orange shirts and talk and reconcile with the Indigenous peoples of Canada. Chidren learn about the history of the residential schools and discuss about the importance of such an event in Canadian history. Indigenous people gather to attend ceremonies and heal the wounds inflicted by the residential schools.  But what is the origin of Orange Shirt Day and why is it important?

 

     The beginning of Orange Shirt Day begins with a little girl called Phyllis Webstad who went to one of the schools in 1973 . When she was sent to the residential schools, she was wearing a orange shirt her grandmother had given her. However, she was stripped of her identity and her orange shirt and was never given it back. In her own words, Phyllis stated: "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."

 

     Residential schools are a reminder that every child matters, regardless of religion, race, or gender. Orange Shirt Day is celebrated at Bayview Hill and here are what BHES students have been doing to celebrate Orange Shirt Day!

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Please show your support at BHES by wearing an orange shirt on September 30th!

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