Staff and students at Weledeh Catholic School came together to commemorate Orange Shirt Day a day early on Sept. 29.
Orange Shirt Day is officially known as the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and happens every year on September 30th in Canada — like other schools around the NWT, Weledeh held its ceremony on Friday.
Alicia Larade, the schools’s principal, said that the day began with a liturgy led by Gina MacLean, the school’s Wiliideh Yati teacher, in multiple languages,
“It’s important that our students know that the impact is evident and it is still with us today,” said Larade.
Following the liturgy, the school organized a healing walk for the students, which was a new addition to the school’s events. The walk was designed to symbolize the ongoing healing journey of residential school survivors. The route was chosen for its proximity to the school and its accessibility for all students.
More than 300 students from kindergarten to Grade 7 took part in the march with municipal enforcement officers providing traffic control.
In addition to the walk, she said that students were given orange hearts on which they could write words of healing.
Larade said the hearts will be displayed in the school as another form of commemoration.
The day was not without emotion, especially for Betsy Lucko, the school’s leadership resiliency facilitator.
“It’s a hard day for many of our families,” she said. “You’re not just thinking about the kids that are in this school, but you’re also thinking about the kids that maybe are not in school right now. These sentiments underscored the deep impact that residential schools have had on communities and families.”
Lucko said that Orange Shirt Day is more than just wearing an orange shirt, it’s about understanding why we wear it and delving deeper into its meaning.