Indigenous & First Nations Studies: Orange Shirt Day 2023

For Children

For Adults

Local Community Events 

1. Sep 27, 6-9pm – Slocan Community Hall Truth & Reconciliation Workshop: with Lori Snyder (Indigenous Metis herbalist and educator with a deep knowledge of wild, medicinal and edible plants) and Ada Dragomir. In honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, create naturally dyed orange cloth badges with locally grown plants from the Colour Me Local Dye Garden. Throughout the workshop, we will discuss the importance of Truth and Reconciliation and reflect on how we are working towards decolonization in our own lives. Register here: www.eventbrite.ca/e/truth-reconciliation-workshop-naturally-dye-an-orange-shirt-emblem-tickets-698574815077?aff=erelexpmlt

2. Sep 30  10:00am-2pm  Every Child Matters Friendship Walk and Gathering.  Starts at Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre (1719 Franklin St.) and walks to Grandview Park.  Co-organized with Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Indian Residential School Survivors Society and Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society.  

3. Sep 30 –11am-3pm UBC Intergenerational March at the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre Canada   

4. Sep 30 Orange T-Shirt Day  1:00-4:00pm  at John Hendry Trout Lake. Join Nisga'a Ts'amiks Vancouver Society to honour the lost children and survivors from the Indian Residential Schooling system on Saturday, September 30, 2023, for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Day. 

5. Sep 30 1-4pm Coquitlam, Place des Arts All My Relations: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Join First Nations Artist and Facilitator, Christine Mackenzie, for a free, public community event on National Truth and Reconciliation Day. 

6. Sep 30, 11am-3pm, Truth and Reconciliation Day: Workshop with Shaina Stephens. Museum of Vancouver ($$).  Join us for an activity and open conversation about all aspects of residential schools; bring your stories, ready ears, and ready hands. We invite you to make your own orange shirt with us, stencils, and paint to bring home. Register here: https://museumofvancouver.ca/workshop-with-shaina-stephens  

Online Events

Truth & Reconciliation Week (virtual) – National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation is offering free daily lunch and learns at 10:30-11:20am PST led by Survivors of Indian Residential Schools.  

• Day 1, Mon., Sep 25: Indigenous peoples and the History of Residential Schools  

• Day 2, Tue., Sep 26: Unconscious bias and debunking stereotypes 

• Day 3, Wed., Sep 27: Intergenerational impacts and ongoing systemic discrimination 

• Day 4, Thur., Sep 28: Indigenous peoples’ rights and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 

• Day 5, Fri., Sep 29: Taking action toward Reconciliation 

• Sat Sep 30: Remembering the Children commemorates the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. APTN and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation have united to produce a 90-minute multilingual commemorative gathering. Livestreamed on various networks like APTN, CBC, etc. 

The following is a list of resources available outside of VCC Library:

• Chief Robert Joseph shares his experience as a residential school survivor and the importance of truth and reconciliation in Canada (video, 4min20sec)   

• Monique Gray’s How to talk to kids about reconciliation   (video, 9min 25 sec)    

• Les George: Truth Comes Before Reconciliation (video, 1 hour)  

• Indigenous Watchdog  - 260 years of promises made and broken to Canada’s first peoples. Indigenous Watchdog, a federally registered non-profit, is committed to transforming the reconciliation dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians into ACTION. (website) 

• Residential School Survivor Stories – Legacy of Hope Foundation  (website). The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) is a national, Indigenous-led charitable organization that has existed for 20 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and long-lasting inter-generational impacts of the Residential School System, Sixties Scoop, Day School and other means of cultural oppression against Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) Survivors, their descendants, and their communities. 

• The Witness Blanket  Inspired by a woven blanket, the Witness Blanket is a large-scale interactive work of art. Here, you can explore hundreds of items reclaimed from residential schools, churches, government buildings and traditional and cultural structures from across Canada and stories carried by the voices of Survivors who talk about the experience of being forced into residential schools. 

• All My Relations Podcast

For Children: 

• Every Child Matters (book) by Phyllis Webstad  

• Orange Shirt Day – Warrior Kids Podcast (Pam Palmeater) for kids ages 0-8 

• 5 Things to Know about Sept 30 – Warrior Kids Podcast (Pam Palmeater)  for kids ages 0-8 

• Lillian Elias – A residential school survivors story (Inuvialuit). How Lillian helped preserve Inuvialuktun language (video, 1min 3 sec)  

• Phyllis Webstad Orange Shirt Presentation (video, 1 min 55 sec)  

• CBC Kids – What is Orange Shirt Day (website) 

• Spirit Bear’s Guide to the TRC Calls to Action by First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada (website) 

National Film Board: 

• True Story 
• We Can't Make the Same Mistake Twice 
• Our People Will Be Healed 

Criterion-On-Demand:

• Indian Horse 
• Rhymes for Young Ghouls 
• Bones of Crows 

Curio: 

• Telling Our Twisted History
• Inendi
• The Secret Path