The Orange Shirt: The Phyllis Webstad Story That Inspired September 30, Truth and Reconciliation Day

An orange shirt, a family heritage

Phyllis Webstad is a residential school survivor who grew up in a Secwepemc community in British Columbia. As a child, she was filled with joy and hope at the prospect of starting school. To celebrate this milestone, her grandmother gave her a brand new orange shirt, a special and symbolic gift that embodied love and anticipation for a bright future. For a little girl, that bright orange shirt was more than just a piece of clothing: it was a source of pride.

But when she arrived at residential school at the age of six, Phyllis quickly discovered the harsh reality of the system. Her beloved shirt was ripped off without explanation upon arrival. This violent act was her first contact with the world of residential school, a world where all ties to her culture and identity were erased. The orange shirt, a symbol of family love, became a symbol of loss, self-denial, and the attempt to erase her Indigenous identity.

The meaning of Orange Shirt Day

In 2013, Phyllis Webstad shared her story publicly for the first time, and it resonated deeply with Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike. From that personal story grew a national initiative, Orange Shirt Day, observed annually on September 30. The day commemorates the children who attended residential schools and the impact the system has had on survivors, their families, and future generations.

Orange Shirt Day is a day to raise awareness of the injustices that residential schools inflicted on Indigenous children and to emphasize that “every child matters.” For Indigenous communities, it is a day of remembrance, healing and resilience. Wearing the orange shirt is a gesture of solidarity, a recognition of the suffering experienced by children who were forced to abandon their culture and language, and a commitment to a future where this will not happen again.

Resilience and truth

Phyllis Webstad’s story is an illustration of the resilience of Indigenous peoples in the face of Canada’s colonial policies. Removing her orange shirt was an attempt to strip her of her identity, but today, it has become a powerful symbol of cultural resistance and commitment to truth and reconciliation. Her story has helped put a human face on the suffering experienced by children in residential schools, sparked critical conversations about the past, and promoted concrete action to redress injustices.

Through her story, Phyllis Webstad inspires current and future generations to remember the history of residential schools and to continue to fight for respect, recognition and dignity for Indigenous peoples. Her orange shirt, once a symbol of loss, has become an emblem of hope, a call to action and a reminder that every child deserves to grow up in a loving environment where their culture is celebrated.

Source and references:

• Testimony of Phyllis Webstad, Orange Shirt Society.
• Government of Canada, “Orange Shirt Day”.
• CBC News, “Phyllis Webstad on the Story Behind Orange Shirt Day.”