September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, an opportunity for meaningful discussion about the effects of Residential Schools and the legacy they have left behind across Canada. The date was chosen because it is the time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools.
Every Child Matters, even if they are an adult, from now on.
Take some time today to make space for uncomfortable truths. These six videos tell the stories of what happened to the Indigenous children who were taken by force from their families and communities.
1. Heritage Minutes: Chanie Wenjack
This Heritage Moment tells the story of Chanie “Charlie” Wenjack, whose death sparked the first inquest into the treatment of Indigenous children in Canadian residential schools.
2. Namwayut: we are all one
Chief Robert Joseph shares his experience as a residential school survivor and the importance of truth and reconciliation in Canada.
3. Wawahte: Stories of Residential School Survivors
Wawahte tells the story of Indian Residential Schools from the perspective of three of its survivors through archival images and audio. The result is a presentation that is powerful and accessible.
4. Death at Residential Schools
Thousands of children died in the Residential School system. And that number only begins to show how lives were erased and loving families were changed forever.
5. Understanding Intergenerational Trauma and how to stop it
Trauma is something that can be passed down through the generations. A panel of guests share what they are doing to try not to pass on the effects of trauma to the next generation
6. Tanya Tagaq – Retribution
At age 13, Tagaq was sent to a residential school in Yellowknife. She eventually left the school after a failed suicide attempt and completed high school by correspondence.
Do you want to be part of honouring Orange Shirt Day in your community? These are the events happening across the country.
