September 30 is a Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Today we recognize the children who never came home and the families who were harmed by the Indigenous boarding school policies. Here are some ideas about how we all can observe:

 

1.             Learn about this part of our history. There are many resources available. “I Am Not a Number” is a book by Kathy Kacer. “Sugar Falls” is by David A. Robertson. Many more books for children and teens, recommended by Orange Shirt founder Phyllis Webstad, are here.

 

2.             Urge your friends, family and connections to learn about and observe on September 30. There were more boarding schools in the U.S. than in Canada, but our neighbor to the north has been more proactive in uncovering the truth. In fact, if Canada hadn’t revealed how many children’s graves are on the grounds of boarding schools, we may have never learned about the U.S. boarding schools.

 

3.             Set aside some time to quietly meditate or pray about the missing children who were never reunited with their families, and grieve alongside the relatives and descendants. Use the words and methods of your own faith to do this.

 

4.             Learn more by visiting the site of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition: https://boardingschoolhealing.org/education/us-indian-boarding-school-history/

 

5.             Think about what you can do to create a better society where forced assimilation of Native American children could never happen again. What could you do for your community to be more welcoming to Native Americans and other marginalized groups? Perform acts of compassion and atonement without drawing attention to yourself or seeking thank-yous.

 

6.             Include Native American causes in your giving and volunteering.

 

7.             Work with others who are creating permanent monuments and reminders about this era in our history.

 

8.             Spend some time in Nature and imagine how the landscape looked when Native people stewarded this continent.

 

9.             Ask local, state and national leaders to set aside this date as a day for remembrance and to acknowledge it with proclamations, ceremonies and actions.

 

10.         Wear the Orange Shirt with confidence after you have done some of these things. You’ve earned it! 

 


 

Comments

  1. LeeOctober 25, 2024 at 7:37 AM

    Today, October 25 2024, President Joe Biden and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland will be in Arizona to address the issue of Indian boarding schools and to apologize for the government's actions.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/24/us/politics/biden-indian-boarding-schools-arizona.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20241025&instance_id=137796&nl=the-morning&regi_id=91026593&segment_id=181345&user_id=8b5ad6a133ffcce0b9fda3ccfb15b213

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