National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day was established in 2013 and is observed on September 30 to mark the period when Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to Residential Schools. This national movement seeks to recognize and acknowledge the experiences of these students, honour the survivors, and remember those who did not return home. It also serves as a significant reminder that Every Child Matters.
This initiative encourages all of us to wear an orange shirt on September 30th to support healing and reconciliation. While wearing an orange shirt is a meaningful gesture, it is just the first step in the journey towards reconciliation. Here are a few additional ways you can continue your journey with reconciliation:
Sask DLC is honouring Orange Shirt Day on September 27, 2024. We invite you to wear an orange shirt on this day.
Learn about the history, culture, traditions, and contemporary experiences of Indigenous Peoples.
While wearing your orange shirt, remember the students who never made it home and reflect on the children still to be found in unmarked graves.
Purchase your orange shirt from an Indigenous-owned business, helping to strengthen and uplift Indigenous enterprises.
Join a Reconciliation Walk in your community on September 30th.
People of all ages can explore the lasting impact of Residential Schools. To facilitate discussions with children, friends, and family, consider reading some of the following books:
Ages 4-8 | Ages 8-12 | High School/Adults |
Phyllis’s Orange Shirt – Phyllis Webstad | I Am Not a Number - Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer | A Knock on the Door – Truth and Reconciliation Commission Canada |
When I was Eight - Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton | A Stranger at Home - Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton | Finding My Talk – Agnes Grant |
Important Commemorations
Treaty 4 - 150 Years Post Signing – September 15th, 1874
This year marks a significant milestone as 150 years ago, Queen Victoria and the Cree, Assiniboine and Saulteaux governing bodies came together to sign Treaty 4 in Fort Qu’Appelle.
The week of September 9th –15th, Treaty 4 hosted numerous events and activities to commemorate the 150 years since signing Treaty 4. Some of the activities included Youth and Elders Forum, Flag Raising Ceremony, Fast Ball and Golf Tournament, and a Powwow.
Cumberland House, Saskatchewan
Cumberland House turned 250 years old this year. It is the oldest community in Saskatchewan, 93 years older than Canada. Cumberland House Cree signed an adhesion to Treaty 5 in September 1876.
Cumberland House is one of the original Métis settlements and played a central role in Métis history. It was the location of the first inland Hudson's Bay Company fur trade post, established in 1774. This site was once a major transportation hub for the fur trade, which continued until 1965. Today, the historic post still stands next to Cumberland House Provincial Park.
