Orange Shirt Day

September 30 is Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

It is a day to reflect on the history and legacy of residential schools in this country and in our province. Labrador and Newfoundland had five residential schools and the legacy of those schools continues to this day. There were four in the Labrador communities of Cartwright, Makkovik, Nain, and Northwest River, and one in the Newfoundland community of St. Anthony.

Orange Shirt Day was started by residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad in 2013. It is an Indigenous-led initiative to recognize and raise awareness of the intergenerational impacts of residential schools on individuals, families and communities.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was created by the federal government in 2021, fulfilling the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) Call to Action #80: We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Schedule of Events

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23 - TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2026

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in activities planned throughout the week of Sept. 23-29 to recognize this important day. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, you are encouraged to wear orange. Wearing or displaying orange is a symbol of solidarity with those who survived residential schools and an act of remembrance for those who never made it home. Orange shirts are available to purchase at the St. John’s campus bookstore (UC-2006, all proceeds will be donated to First Light).

There will be resource tables set up at 5 different locations across the St. John’s campus. The resource tables will include an engagement opportunity that we encourage everyone to participate in. Cards will be provided with reflections we encourage everyone to think about over the long weekend. Resources available will include information on the TRC, residential schools, smudging, and lighting the Kullik. There will be a lighting of the Kullik at the 9am event in the QEII Library, and the 11am event in the Bruneau Centre Atrium on Tuesday, September 29.

The resource tables are located:

  1. Education Library - room ED 2030
  2. QEII Library - main floor lobby
  3. University Centre - 3rd floor
  4. Business Building - outside the RBC Atrium
  5. Bruneau Centre - main floor atrium

PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE

St. John's campus

Smudging ceremonies and lessons will take place across campus. Participation is voluntary, but we encourage everyone to take the time to observe, listen, and learn. Smudging is a First Nations purification ceremony involving the lighting of sacred medicinal plants. Smudging often happens in spaces in which First Nations knowledges are shared. Smudging is one of many traditional practices residential schools actively disparaged and disrupted in the effort to assimilate students. 

The lighting of the Kullik will take place at 2 of the scheduled smudges. The Kullik is the heart of Inuit culture; it is lit during important events and ceremonies. The Kullik is an oil lamp, traditionally made of soapstone and fuelled with animal fats such as seal oil or whale blubber. The Kullik was used to illuminate and heat the home, melt snow, cook food, and dry clothes.

Through these smudges and the lighting of the Kullik we seek to familiarize the Memorial community with the practices and their significance. 

Monday September 28:

  • 1o:oo a.m. - Smudging ceremony and lesson in the Education building lobby, main entrance.
  • 12:00 p.m. -Smudging ceremony and lesson in the Faculty of Business, RBC Atrium.
  • 1:30 p.m. - Smudging ceremony and lesson at the Marine Institute, main entrance lobby.
  • 3:30 p.m. - Smudging ceremony and lesson in the University Centre, The Loft (UC 3013)

Tuesday, September 29:

  • 9:00 a.m. - Lighting of the Kullik and smudging ceremony and lessons in the QEII Library lobby (first floor).
  • 11:00 a.m. - Lighting of the Kullik and smudging ceremony and lesson in the Bruneau Centre Atrium.
  • 12:45 p.m. - Meet in the Rose Garden for a photo of everyone in their orange shirts. The Rose Garden is located between the Music and Science Buildings.
  • 1:00 p.m. - Guided Indigenous Landmarks Walking Tour departs from the Rose Garden (dress for the weather, and attend for as long as your schedule allows).

All students, staff and faculty are invited to participate in or observe the lighting of the Kullik and the smudging ceremonies and lessons. 

Grenfell Campus

Observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is one of the ways Grenfell Campus can demonstrate its commitment to the process of reconciliation. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to take part in planned activities, which include the raising of the Every Child Matters Flag at 11:00am followed by a commemorative walk.

Everyone is encouraged to wear orange; Every Child Matters t-shirts are available for purchase in the campus bookstore.

Marine Institute

Faculty, staff and students are invited to wear orange shirts in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

On September 29th, at 10am, A photo will be taken and included in the university's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation & Orange Shirt Day acknowledgment on social media channels.

Please join us on September 29th in the MI main lobby, 10 a.m., following the Town Hall.

 

Resources

This day is an opportunity for us all to reflect on the historic and current injustices faced by Indigenous Peoples and to learn about what we can do to live up to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. Truth and reconciliation are the responsibility of every Canadian. However, there cannot be reconciliation without truth telling. Truth is the hardest part, as it means learning about the difficult history, purpose, and impacts of residential schools in Canada. We encourage you to explore the following resources to learn more:

Other online resources for reflection and education on Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: