Help and support for survivors and their families can be found through the Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 or hopeforwellness.ca. A crisis line is also available through Indian Residential School Survivors and Family at 1-866-925-4419.
As Orange Shirt Day quickly approaches, shíshálh Nation released a video, sharing insight from community members on the meaning of the day and encouraging the public to “Recognize and learn the profound meaning of Orange Shirt Day / National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.”
“Our hands go up to everybody that has come out to help us celebrate this day,” said lhe hiwus yalxwemult (Chief Lenora Joe) in the video. “Orange Shirt Day is a very significant and important day, specifically for shíshálh people as we had one of the residential schools right in the middle of our community. We had 51 nations who had sent their children here, and not a lot of them got their children back.”
In the video, community members share about the origin of Orange Shirt Day.
“Today we're celebrating a new beginning, and it's called orange shirt day because this one little girl had the courage to tell her story about not being able to wear her orange shirt to school,” said ?anchelin Valerie Joe Bourne in the video.
?akista xaxanak Garry Feschuk said “with the saddest chapter in the history of Canada coming to the surface now and all the truths rising to the surface, it's about time that everybody starts walking with the survivors.”
“Orange Shirt Days is not Indigenous history, it's Canadian history … I really hold my hands up to our community here on the Sunshine Coast, because the circle is getting bigger and bigger,” he said in the video. “I believe last year, we had about 4000 people in the walk. Before true reconciliation can happen know that truths have to be told.”
In the video xwash Steven Feschuk, protector of culture for shíshálh Nation, said it is “a day to support and help survivors of the residential school, and also to bring awareness and education to not only our First Nation community, but everybody that we share the lands with.”
The video encourages everyone to stand in unity with the Nation on Sept. 30 during the commemorative ceremony and walk. Watch the full video on shíshálh Nation’s website.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
