Orange Shirt Day
Background
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation falls annually in Canada on September 30th. Originally and still colloquially known as Orange Shirt Day, this is a Canadian day of remembrance to recognize the legacy of the Canadian Residential School system which was in existence between 1876 - 1997. Orange Shirt Day was first established as an observance in 2013, as part of an effort to promote awareness and education of the residential school system and the impact it has had on Indigenous communities for over a century. The impact of the residential school system has been recognized as a cultural genocide, and continues to this day.
History
The use of an orange shirt as a symbol was inspired by the accounts of Phyllis Jack Webstad, whose personal clothing—including a new orange shirt—was taken from her during her first day of residential schooling, and never returned. The orange shirt is thus used as a symbol of the forced assimilation of Indigenous children that the residential school system enforced. Learn more at OrangeShirtDay.org
GNS Orange Shirt Day Fundraiser
In order to continue the spirit of bringing design projects into our larger GNS community and as an example of GNS' commitment to being active in our own reconciliation process as an organization, we decided to create our own personalized GNS Orange Shirt Day Shirt that can be proudly worn by students, staff, and members of our GNS community. To engage in this design process respectfully, we collaborated with local indigenous artist Jamin Zuroski to create a concept that aligned with our vision and values.
In the design you see below, Jamin incorporates elements of the Eagle, an animal we can frequently spot from our Junior School campus. According to Jamin, eagles represent how GNS faculty, students and community walk respectfully on these lands, with a tender heart and mind. May we continue to honour our ancestors, remembering all they’ve taught us and how we can use that knowledge to grow today and always.
These shirts will be on sale for a limited time from mid-August to the end of the first week of school in September.
All proceeds from the sale of these shirts will go to benefit the Residential School Survivors Society.
The IRSSS is a provincial organization that provides essential services to residential school survivors and families experiencing intergenerational trauma.
About the Artist: Jamin Zuroski
Jamin Zuroski is an Award Winning Indigenous Artist, Graphic Designer, and Educator. He holds mixed ancestry from Ukrainian and Polish on his father’s side and the Namgis First Nation on his mother’s side. For the past 26 years, Jamin has practiced and worked with a variety of artists, community members, organizations, businesses, schools, Friendship Centres and government on a variety of projects, initiatives, workshops, events and conferences.
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