Two communities got together to remember the victims and survivors of residential schools.
Both the Melfort and Nipawin branches of Cumberland College observed Orange Shirt Day with a large community round dance Sept. 29. The idea of wearing orange shirts came from Phyllis Webstad, a student of St. Joseph Mission in B.C. who had her orange shirt confiscated on her first day of school.
Bobbi Gray, Cumberland College’s director of programs and services, said the idea to observe the day came from discussions with the college’s elders in residence.
“We thought: why wouldn’t it be an amazing activity to bring people together at Cumberland College from the school division, the community and afar and join us for a round dance?”
The director said she was impressed with her students.
“It was really the students that took it and ran with it. You can see them wearing shirts that they designed for Orange Shirt Day.”
It wasn’t just Cumberland College students that attended but also local schools. In Melfort, the Marguerite Riel Centre was also involved. Gerald Whitehead, a spokesperson with the centre, said the event was part of reconciliation.
“We hope it gets bigger because there’s so many differences in our cultures, in our people here. In order for us to correct some of our past, we’ve got to work together to connect,” he said. “There’s so many generations of hurt that took place. My grandfather went to Elkhorn in Manitoba, my father went to Gordon Centre in Prince Albert and I went to Prince Albert, so that’s 100 years of kinship broken.”
He said there was a need to do more activities like this to bring communities together.
Gray said she was impressed with the Melfort event’s turnout.
“This event just shows how amazing this community is, to live in and that people are ready for this spirit of reconciliation.”
