October 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a day to learn about the injustices that the Indigenous community has faced (and still does) and – more importantly – to listen and learn how to make things better.
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is also known as Orange Shirt Day. The story goes that a young boy was given an orange shirt by his grandmother before heading to a residential school.
Orange shirts bearing the logo “every child matters” are sold by the hundreds every year on this day. Wearing such a shirt is an easy way to appear to be an ally. But, to me, it is a simple, hollow gesture which all too often has little actual meaning. Wearing an orange shirt doesn’t make you a true ally any more than not wearing one means you are hostile or prejudiced towards First Nations people.
Similarly, many businesses and organizations make or post statements recognising that their location was once Indigenous territory. Whenever I hear or read such statements, I think of a monologue on Tik-Tok by an Indigenous man. He said he is not in favour of land acknowledgements because all they do is rub in what was lost. It doesn’t address the injustices, give First Nations people back their land or do anything positive. He, of course, doesn’t represent all Indigenous people, but he makes a strong point. LIke orange shirts, such statements are easily done and require little effort. IT is abnout looking like an ally, rather than actually being one.
As a final thought, some people think this day is about guilt, but my understanding is it is more about listening and learning. I make no claim to speak for Indigenous people, but I believe what they want is for us to acheldge the past and work for a better, more equitable future. No one is a perfect ally, and I certainly do not claim to be; but we can all be and do better. ecause if all we do is say catchlines and wear symbolic clothing, nothing will ever get better.
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