We honour Orange Shirt Day each year on September 30, which is marked as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
Learn about the origins of Orange Shirt Day from Phyllis Webstad:
On Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th, 2021, One Day’s Pay launched a grassroots campaign to mobilize settlers to meaningfully recognize and commemorate the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, and to honour their survivors, their families and communities. Guided by The Circle on Philanthropy, an all-female, Indigenous-led organization that works to mobilize the settler philanthropic sector to move funds to Indigenous-led projects, movements, organizations and nations, Canadians responded to One Day’s Pay’s invitation to meaningfully act: raising almost half a million dollars for The Orange Shirt Society and Indian Residential School Survivors Society.
Learn more and support One Day’s Pay
Culture Days 2022
Culture Days is a national celebration of arts and culture. At the end of each September, millions of people attend thousands of free participatory arts and culture events across the country both in-person and online. Culture Days programs invite the public to get hands-on and behind-the-scenes to highlight the importance of arts and culture in our communities.
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Root Dwellers IRSSS Fundraiser: Dakota Bear/JB The First Lady/Hayley Wallis
Root Dwellers is honoured to announce the lineup for our September 30th showcase. We will be acknowledging the enormous importance of National Day For Truth and Reconciliation by hosting a fundraiser for IRSSS (Indian Residential School Survivors Society).
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Association of Book Publishers British Columbia | Canadian Indigenous Books Catalogue
2021–22 offers more amazing texts produced by publishers across Canada. The stories, songs, images, and ideas of the new and familiar authors of the books listed in this catalogue will inspire and motivate readers. Each book has been thoughtfully reviewed by one or more BC educators in terms of connection to K–12 curriculum, appropriateness of reading level, and suitability of content for the K–12 classroom.
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Indigenous Tourism of BC Events
Indigenous communities and organizations across British Columbia host events and gatherings that bring people together to share Indigenous culture, knowledge, and hospitality. While some gatherings are for community members only, many Indigenous events are open to all. Vibrant powwows, gallery openings, readings, in-person workshops, dance performances, tournaments and other events have returned.
Discover events
Buffy Sainte Marie at The Chan Centre for Performing Arts
On September 17 and 18, 2022, The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, in collaboration with the Musqueam, will join forces in the presentation of Come Toward the Fire, a new, two-day multidisciplinary arts festival with a special Indigenous focus. The event will be a festival-style concert and gathering presented just days prior to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, celebrating Indigenous talent, creativity and resilience. As a performance series and a community event, Come Toward the Fire will offer a timely means for audiences from all walks of life to feel connection and inspiration in equal measure. Come Toward the Fire has received support from the Live Music program at Amplify BC.
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In Conversation: Chrystal Sparrow, T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss and Rena Soutar at the Roundhouse
On September 29, visit the Roundhouse in Yaletown to learn from CHRYSTAL SPARROW, who is a traditional and contemporary Coast Salish x?m??k??y??m (Musqueam) artist and carver. She was traditionally mentored by her late father Irving Sparrow, a master carver. Chrystal’s artwork represents Coast Salish feminine design, expression, and cultural history. DR. T’uy’t’tanat-CEASE WYSS (Skwxwu7mesh/Sto:Lo/Hawaiian/Swiss) is an interdisciplinary artist who works with digital media, writing, performance and land based remediations as her multi-disciplinary arts practice. She is a community engaged and public artist and ethnobotanist. Her works range over 30 years and have always focused on sustainability, permaculture techniques, Coast Salish Cultural elements and have included themes of ethnobotany, indigenous language revival, Salish weaving and digital media technology.
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See more events and information on Miss 604
Read news and perspectives from the B.C. Assembly of First Nations
Progress report on Truth & Reconciliation, Beyond 94
Department of Canadian Heritage Website
UBC Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre: About Orange Shirt Day
Link to support the Orange Shirt Society
Indigenous Tourism BC: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Maggie Wente’s curated Twitter posts on how to participate in #OrangeShirtDay
Visit DigiBC’s listing of Indigenous-owned video game companies, games and Indigenous developers
Explore the Indigenous Screen Office’s expanded Protocols resources, including working in Indigenous Communities, with Indigenous Cast and Crew, Indigenous Co-Productions and On-Set Protocols
Explore Theytus Books’ titles and read Indigenous authors’ work. Theytus is the the oldest Indigenous publishing house in Canada. In Salish, “theytus” means “preserving for the sake of handing down.” It is located in Syilx territory on the Penticton Indian Reserve in British Columbia.
Support Indigenous-owned bookstores: Massy Books and Iron Dog Books
Follow imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival on their social channels and learn about the festival and year-round programming.
Shop Strong Nations online, the Indigenous-owned and operated online Book and Gift store, and Publishing house.
Explore Indigenous media, such as the online magazine Indiginews
