Orange Shirt Update

My book on display at Yellowquill School library!

As I get ready to head to Manitoba again next week, to participate in 'I love to Read Month' at some of the schools there, I realized I hadn't shared my reading adventure of last fall!

In September, I'd shared with you how the story of "Tyson's New Orange Shirt" came about, and how the year before in explaining to him what Orange Shirt day was about, we realized the trauma of it much more deeply in imagining that it could have been that precious little man of ours in a different time. 

When I completed the book, as I got ready to send copies to Manitoba to him and our other grandchildren, it suddenly came to me how cool it might be for him if his Granny were to come and read it to him at his school for Orange Shirt Day. 

Bianca and I approached his school, and the principal, Shawn Harkness, arranged for me to read our book to the school as part of their day of recognition.  Word began to travel through the division, and by the time September 29th arrived (Orange Shirt Day is September 30th, but schools were recognizing it on the Friday) I was scheduled to read it at four of the Portage schools. 

Bianca, Tyson, Shawn and I

It was a wonderful day, accompanied by my daughter Bianca and grandson baby Sean, to each of the schools.  The day had been perfectly set up by Scott Thorsteinson, the division Outreach Worker.  Sessions included music videos from 'A Tribe Called Red' and playing of the videos prepared by Phyllis Webstad, who's experience going to The St. Joseph Mission Residential School laid the foundation for the day now recognized as Orange Shirt Day.  Letting the children hear her experience, then being able to help them to see it through the eyes of a child like themselves led to powerful interactions and questions from children who are open to understanding.

Over the course of the day we estimated that we were able to share the message of the importance of recognizing Orange Shirt Day and Canada's history with the Residential School System with close to 1400 elementary aged children.  We answered questions that we were able to and encouraged the children to seek out people who had lived that history and to truly listen to their stories, learn from them and take them with them.  I sincerely hope that some of them will, as I believe that it will be today's children that heal the wounds of the past.

I hope that what I am able to contribute today will atone for my own lack of understanding and taking time to listen in days gone by, when friends who were survivors themselves tried to enlighten me with their own stories.  At that time I too was unable to listen and understand, and I regret that deeply.  I hope that in my sharing things I've come to better understand now, the echo of their voices will also be heard as Orange Shirt day continues to grow and become better recognized and understood in the years ahead. ​

Getting to read my book to my grandsons Tyson and Cash at Yellowquill School in Portage la Prairie, MB