In less than a week, the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society has sold more than 800 of their 1,000 orange T-shirts that were made in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Thursday (Sept. 30).
The orange, tie-dye T-shirts were made by volunteers and staff at the organization, as well as members from the City of 91大黄鸭. Written on the shirt is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society, with a logo designed by Kody Woodmass, the organization鈥檚 strategic planning coordinator.
鈥淭his logo represents the flame being passed from one generation to the next, keeping our cultures and traditions alive,鈥� said the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society. 鈥淭ogether, let us pave the way towards a brighter future.鈥�
Woodmass said the community support for the T-shirts reflects a step in the right direction.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really taking a step in the right direction. It should鈥檝e happened a very long time ago, and it鈥檚 sad to see that it鈥檚 taking this long to honour those people that have been affected by residential schools,鈥� said Woodmass.
鈥淏ut we鈥檙e just so happy that it鈥檚 finally coming together and that we鈥檙e getting so much support from the community.鈥�
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The orange T-shirt has become a national symbol that honours victims of Canada鈥檚 residential school system. It was influenced by Phyllis Jack Webstad, a Stswecem鈥檆 Xgat鈥檛em First Nation Elder in Williams Lake, and her experience from her first day at residential school in 1973 when she was six.
鈥淲hen I got to the Mission, they stripped me, and took away my clothes, including the orange shirt! I never wore it again,鈥� Webstad said on the Orange Shirt Day website.
鈥淭he colour orange has always reminded me of that and how my feelings didn鈥檛 matter, how no one cared and how I felt like I was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying, and no one cared.鈥�
All proceeds from the sales of the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society鈥檚 orange shirts, which Woodmass estimates to be around $8,000, will go towards funding the organization鈥檚 Original Born Art social enterprise and e-commerce program. While still in its early stages, the program will sell art produced by local Indigenous youth, with proceeds going back to the artists.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a way to kind of tackle some of the fake Indigenous art going around,鈥� said Woodmass. 鈥淲e want to have things local, authentic and we want to make sure that people can gain the skills that they can carry on with them for the rest of their lives.
Giving back to Indigenous youth, he continued, is all about capacity building.
鈥淚f we can do some preventative measures and help these individuals grow and learn tangible skills that they can utilize later on in their life, then this is how the change is going to happen,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e make the change start from the beginning, start from the youth and create a better future for these individuals.鈥�
While the centre is closed on Thursday, a ceremony will be hosted on Wednesday outside of the group鈥檚 location at 442 Leon Avenue, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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