Embodying Truth and Reconciliation All-Year Round

September 30, 2021 marked Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation— a day to collectively remember the history and legacy of the residential school system. On September 30th people across Canada are encouraged to wear orange shirts to honour the resilience, dignity and strength of survivors of residential schools especially for the children who were never able to come home. It is a day for all people living on Turtle Island to reflect on our shared history with the Indigenous Peoples who have cared for this land and to consider how we can move toward reconciliation.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation extended from Orange Shirt Day, which was based on the experience of Phyllis Webstad. When she was taken away to attend St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School, Phyllis’ new orange shirt given to her by her grandma was stripped away from her and never returned. That orange shirt has come to symbolize the dark legacy of residential schools and the pall they cast over 150,000 survivors who attended residential schools between the late 1800s and 1990s.

But September 30 is not only about remembering and mourning the children who never made it back home from residential schools, it also highlights the need for reconciliation. As treaty people, it is essential that we embody truth and reconciliation in our daily lives so that we can forge a future that is rooted in respect, alliship, and unity.

Beyond wearing orange on September 30, here are some practical ways to continue our individual work of honouring Indigenous People’s history:

1. Engage with the Indigenous Education and Cultural Services on campus such as Mukwa’s Den located in Shawenjigewining Hall.
2. Participate in Reconciliation events and initiatives hosted at Ontario Tech, Durham, or your respective communities.
3. Familiarize yourself with The Truth and Reconciliations Commision of Canada’s Calls to Action.
4. Volunteer at local Indigenous organizations.
5. Consider taking the Indigenous Studies Minor or related courses at Ontario Tech to deepen your academic knowledge of Indigenous people’s, their past, present and future.
6. Honour other Indigenous recognition days, but bear in mind that everyday is Indigenous Peoples day
   1. February 14: Women’s Memorial March
   2. May 5: Red Dress Day (National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls)
   3. May 16: Moosehide Campaign Day
   4. June 21: National Indigenous People’s Day (and Indigenous History Month)
   5. November 5–11: Treaties Recognition Week
7. Support Indigenous businesses & organizations.
8. Visit venues that host Indigenous creatives, such as museums, galleries, and waterfront districts etc.
9. Follow Indigenous content creators on social media, and meaningfully engage and amplify their voices, work, and advocacy
10. If you’re ever in British Columbia, visit the Orange Shirt Society.
11. Engage in advocacy for environmental protection, sustainability, food sovereignty, and clean water access in every community.
12. Challenge and re-educate your peers and family if they make derogatory comments or jokes about Indigenous peoples.
13. Acknowledge that wherever you are on Turtle Island, you are on Indigenous land. Another aspect of this is recognizing the diversity of nations surrounding you and building relationships with them. You can do this by checking out this resource-https://native-land.ca/
14. Attend pow-wows to meet community members while indulging in Indigenous art and food.

Above  all, we need to remember that reconciliation is a journey and a process, one that must be travelled each and every day. Through these kinds of acts we can help heal and move forward towards embodying reconciliation.