Today marks the 10th Orange Shirt Day and also the third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The orange shirt is worn on this day to support indigenous people and it brings its significance to remember those who endured residential schools. Students at Fanshawe are showing their support by wearing the shirt but some may not understand the meaning behind the orange shirt but are willing to learn.
“I will try to do my research because I’m an international student. So it’s not that common in our countries to know about the indigenous people.” says an international student.
There is an importance to understanding the history behind the orange shirt.
“We have to know more about them and we have to encourage remembering what happened to them and celebrate with them and give them credit.” said the international student.
Daniel Kennedy, an Indigenous Personal Counsellor at Fanshawe College, explains the history behind the Orange Shirt.
“Orange shirt day started from a story of a young indigenous woman who went to a residential school. When she got there, she was stripped of all her clothes by the institution because they thought their clothes had diseases or lice. They would strip them down of who they are, their identity and that’s their first step of it”
While this day could bring more people to learn and to understand its significance, it can also be a hard day to remember.
“I think a lot of institutions don’t fully comprehend and understand the meaning behind it and what it actually represents but it’s a lot more deep rooted of the pain and the trauma that’s from there.” Said Daniel Kennedy
Orange Shirt Day is a day to remember what happened at the residential schools. It raises awareness of the events that have occurred but it can also bring up hard memories of the past.
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