By Angela Brown

Orange Shirt Day marked with former residential school walk

Sep 26, 2018 | 6:38 PM

Students in Battlefords area schools had an opportunity to learn about the history of residential schools Wednesday, to commemorate Orange Shirt Day. The theme of the event this year was “Every Child Matters.”

Orange Shirt Day was first established to recognize the story of an Indigenous girl who had her special orange shirt taken away from her in 1973 when she first attended residential school in B.C. The orange shirt became a symbol of the residential school system and its abuses, which robbed First Nation people of their culture and language.

Battlefords area schools took part in a walk to the site of the former Battleford Industrial School Wednesday afternoon. Students also visited the nearby cemetery where many residential school children were buried in what is a mass grave.

Sakewew School teacher Sekwun Ahenakew, who came to the event with her students recounted her grandmother’s experience of being a residential school survivor.

“She [her grandmother] said that it was ‘fine,’ but I’ve seen the things that were fine and there was a loss of language, loss of culture,” said Ahenakew. Ahenakew added that that loss was of great concern to her personally.

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Benedict Feist helped organize the event for the students, as part of a local Commemorative Association working on the project.

Feist said by having many of the local area students visit the former residential school site and cemetery it also helps meet the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and its recommendations, to increase awareness about the residential school history in Canada.
 
“It relates to those recommendations because it talks about the importance of commemorating the burial sites for [the former residential school] students, and making sure we are raising attention to these things in the community,” he said. 

The cemetery has been designated a municipal heritage site.

Living Sky School Division released orange balloons in a separate ceremony in North Battleford Wednesday to commemorate Orange Shirt Day.

Orange balloons with the words “Every Child Matters” could be seen tethered to trees and benches throughout the downtown area in North Battleford during the day. 

Light of Christ Catholic School Division also recognized Orange Shirt Day in its schools as well.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow