BY ANDREA GLEESON
Orange Shirt Day takes place at the end of September, in honour of the over 150,000 indigenous children who were taken from their families and placed in residential schools against their will, in order to “assimilate” them.
Over 6000 died there. The odds of survival were better for soldiers serving in WWII than they were for residential school children.
The orange shirt is central to one survivor’s story and represents the fact that residential school children had their hopes and dreams stolen from them. You can see her story here, in under two minutes. Some people know this story, but far from all. Please consider watching the video.
As a gesture of respect, and to acknowledge this piece of Canadian history, everyone is encouraged to wear orange on Friday, Sept. 28. There will also be the opportunity to display an orange string, in honour of a hope or dream that we are free to pursue, that they were not.
THE MUSTANG MESSENGER 