Cumberland College created a video to honour Orange Shirt Day. (submitted photo/Cumberland College)

By Angie Rolheiser

Every Child Matters

Cumberland College creates video in honour of Orange Shirt Day

Sep 30, 2020 | 11:56 AM

Orange Shirt Day is taking place today across Canada.

The national movement began in 2013 and has spread across the nation with millions of people showing their support by participating in a variety of events and wearing orange shirts to spread the message that ‘Every Child Matters.’

It was on this day in 2013 when survivor Phyllis Webstad told the story of her first day at residential school when her shiny new orange shirt bought by her grandmother, was taken away from her as a six-year-old girl.

A 22-minute video featuring Elders, Knowledge Keepers, students and staff compiled by Cumberland College focuses on the impact of Orange Shirt Day and the meaning behind it.

Student Engagement Coordinator with Cumberland College Sherilyn Coates said the video was to replace the usual round dance in Melfort, Nipawin, and Tisdale.

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“We really still wanted to recognize Orange Shirt Day, we wanted to honor survivors or residential schools as well as the children that never made it home,” Coates said.

The round dance events typically see around 600 people in attendance which was not possible this year due to the pandemic restrictions on large gatherings.

The goal of the video is to get people thinking about reconciliation and working toward it.

“People will hopefully understand Orange Shirt Day, what it’s about and recognize the impact that residential schools had on the children that attended them and the families,” Coates said. “The impact of residential schools is still with us and will be with us for sometime yet.”

The video can be viewed on the Cumberland College website.

Viewers are asked to complete an anonymous statical tracking survey.

“I think the biggest thing about the project is that the people that spoke, really spoke from the heart and that has such an impact,” she said.

Cumberland College campuses are situated on Treaty 4, Treaty 5, and Treaty 6 Territories and the Homeland of the Métis.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser