Monday, September 30 marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (TRC). On that day campus services, including the Library, will close to allow students and staff to contemplate the repercussions of the Canadian residential school system. To support this reflection the Library invites students and staff to take part in the following activities.
Orange Heart Beaded Pin Activity / September 24-27
Orange shirts are symbols which mark the impacts of residential schools on Indigenous peoples in Canada. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is also known as Orange Shirt Day. The symbolism of the orange shirt comes from the story of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, a Northern Secwépemc (Shuswap) woman from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band). Phyllis was forced to attend residential school, as were over 150,000 Indigenous children over more than a century,
“At six years old, Phyllis attended her first day of school at the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School wearing her shiny new orange shirt, a gift from her grandmother (Kyé7e [QUE-A-AH]). It was taken away and never returned.”
(Orange Shirt Society. “Orange Shirt Society Resources” n.d. orangeshirtday.org)
We invite you to create an orange heart pin using beads. You can spend time in the Library, creating a pin and reflecting upon the ongoing impacts of Canadian residential schools on Indigenous peoples.
As you sit to make your pin, you can talk with other creators, read the resources we have on the residential schools at the table, or quietly reflect upon your role in ensuring Canada meets the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
The designs were created by Felice Gladue, who has permitted us to share the design and materials with you. Materials will be available at these library locations: Rutherford, Cameron, Bibliothèque Saint-Jean, Sperber and Augustana.
Connecting with the art of survivors / September 27, 2024
In this workshop co-hosted by the Library Indigenous Initiative Team and the University of Alberta Museums you’ll get the opportunity to engage with visual art and written works of residential school survivors.
Where Did They Go?, 2018
Acrylic on canvas; painting / Jim Logan (born New WEstminster, British Columbia, 1955) / University of Alberta Museums Art Collection / University of Alberta Museums / 2021.2.2
The Library and Museums collections host several items created by residential school survivors that are not necessarily directly connected to their experiences at residential school. Engage with these works by learning more about their history and their creators, making connections between them, and understanding your own relationship to this shared history.
This workshop offers the rare opportunity to get a sneak peek of six new acquisitions of artwork that will be included in the upcoming exhibit, “on becoming.”
- Registration Details: Morning session 10-11:30AM / Afternoon session 2-3:30PM (September 27th)
- Location: Print Study Centre in the Fine Arts Building (FAB 3-78)
- There are a maximum of 15 spots available each session.
Resource List
The Indigenous Initiatives Team has created a resource list which you might find useful:
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