It’s a sad remembrance. What our fellow human beings, our governments, and some ostensibly religious connections did to Native American children and their families in Canada and the U.S. is horrific. Supposedly trying to educate but more like take away their heritage, culture, and family life is what happened over many decades. Boarding schools for children taken away from their parents at an early age, not allowed to visit their family, or return home for a funeral, or to help family, is what this day remembers. One of the sad and even angering part of much of my Native American research over many years was reading through Bureau of Indian Affairs records and correspondence related to the boarding schools and children. I sat at a table in a couple locations of the U.S. National Archives and had tears as I read page after page of this material.
Language, clothing, hairstyle, and cultural activities and traditions were being purposely erased even related to children barely beyond being a toddler. The day of remembrance started in Canada with a story recalled by an elder whose favorite orange shirt was taken from her as a child on her first day at a Catholic residential school. The day is also known as Orange Shirt Day because “The day of remembrance started in Canada with a story recalled by an elder whose favorite orange shirt was taken from her as a child on her first day at a Catholic residential school.” This link includes more information and several events across the state of Minnesota. We need to remember what has happened not just on September 30th each year.
© 2026, Paula Stuart-Warren. All rights reserved.
