Orange Shirt Day, September 30: Residential School Survivors' Family Legacy
What Are Residential Schools? What Did They Survive?
Residential Schools were a Canadian institution established by the government with the goal of assimilating Indigenous children with into Euro-Canadian culture. They operated from 1828 until 1996/7, spanning all the way across Canada. These school were often the site of all types of abuse abuse, neglect, cultural erasure, and often death. It was legally required to send your children to residential school. The only way to avoid it was to hide, or become enfranchised, which I'll cover in another post later.
There was also Indian Day schools. Their impact cannot be ignored, they operated similarly to residential school but the children would not live there. A lot of the same abuse was occurring at these institutions.
Most Indigenous people today are descendants of these survivors, or survivors themselves. I myself am the second generation not to attend residential school. For many Indigenous communities, the effects of intergenerational trauma from residential schools continue impacting our daily lives today. The journey towards healing is complex and deeply personal.
A Personal Connection: My Journey Begins
In 2008, I was only 8 years old when a national apology was issued to residential school survivors. I remember that day vividly, I remember being so angry they waited so long, and they made the survivors go through so much. The settlement process seemed so bleak. Many don't realize how hard it was for a lot of the survivors to even prove they attended the schools, it's not like they were keeping very good records
My mom tells me the stories of my family. Of my Aunty Louise, who went missing in 1975 and only recently (2024) did they find her. About my Aunty Yvonne, who attended residential school and was a runner. She ran and ran and ran away, each time running to stay with family. They sent her to schools further and further away until she ran away and wasn't seen again.
Creating My Orange Shirt Design: Every Child Matters
Orange Shirt Day, is observed on September 30th every year. It is also known as National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. It is a day of remembrance and commemoration for the survivors of residential schools. It serves as a poignant reminder of the impact of residential school and the resilience of our peoples.
In the wake of the profound trauma of being a child of residential school survivors, many Indigenous people are moving towards reconnection, healing, and cultural revitalization. Indigenous communities are reclaiming and celebrating our culture, traditions, languages and ceremonies.
As I delved deeper into my cultural journey, I decided to create a unique orange shirt design to honor Orange Shirt Day. It took me a while to create something I was proud of, something I thought my ancestors and elders would feel honoured by. I added the recently recovered, never forgotten piece to highlight the fact the children were never lost. Indigenous communities have always known and tried telling people how the schools operated, how they treated the kids. I added four hand-prints on both sides, because I am one of four siblings. How different my life would have been if residential school policies still existed.
Conclusion: Finding Healing and Connection
Orange Shirt Day is a reminder of the dark chapters in Canadian history, but it also holds the potential for healing and reconciliation. By acknowledging the past, we can work towards a future where every child matters, where we won't allow things like that to happen again to our children. Through connecting with our culture, embracing our heritage, and standing in solidarity with survivors, we can begin to heal the wounds of intergenerational trauma and pave the way for a brighter tomorrow. We can contribute to the ongoing journey of mending, cultural reclamation, and prosperity for Indigenous peoples.
By amplifying the voices and stories of the survivors and advocating for meaningful change in our governments and social circles, we contribute to a future that embraces strength, perseverance, and compassion. Let us remember the ones who survived, for their stories began before we were born. Let us honor their resilience and strive to create a world where cultural healing is not only possible but celebrated.
Written by Kara Lebold. 07/19/24