Photo courtesy of orangeshirtday.org
Orange shirts will be worn in Saskatoon to honour residential school survivors.
City officials, along with Reconciliation Saskatoon are holding Orange shirt Day activities on September 30. The day is meant to educate people on the lasting impact residential schools had on Indigenous people.
“Orange Shirt Day is an important day for all members of the community to unite in a spirit of reconciliation and honour residential school survivors, their descendants and the children who were lost,” said President of Central Urban Metis Federation Inc., Shirley Isbister.
Orange Shirt Day was recognized by the Saskatchewan School Board last year. Schools province-wide will be hosting educational events leading up to the day.
Members of the community are encouraged to wear orange clothing and participate in events, including a pancake breakfast.
The day originated from the story of Phyllis Webstad, who had her orange shirt forcefully removed on her first day of residential school.
Residential schools removed 150,000 Inuit, First Nations and Metis children from their communities in the time they were opened in the 1880’s until the final school was closed in 1996.