Each year on September 30, we honour both National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. This is a vital time for reflection on our shared history and the ongoing impacts of colonialism for those living and working on Indigenous lands now known as Canada, and locally on the unceded traditional territories of First Nations across what is now called British Columbia.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a call to action. It is a time to recognize the strength, resilience, and leadership of Indigenous Peoples, and to commit to the long-term work of reconciliation through meaningful partnerships, mutual respect, and shared success. It is also a time to acknowledge the truth, to honour the children who never returned home from residential schools, and to stand with survivors, their families, and communities. Public commemoration of this tragic history and its ongoing legacy is essential to the reconciliation process.
Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous led grassroots initiative, raises awareness of the intergenerational impacts of residential schools and affirms that Every Child Matters. The orange shirt symbolizes the loss of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
On behalf of B.C.’s creative sector, we respectfully acknowledge the more than 200,000 Indigenous Peoples living in the province, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. The sector operates across the unceded homelands of 34 distinct First Nations language and cultural groups, encompassing nearly 60 dialects and representing over 200 First Nations. Creative industries play a vital role in amplifying Indigenous voices, prioritizing Indigenous sovereignty, and supporting the authentic telling of Indigenous stories by those who hold the rights to share them.
We invite you to explore events and resources across B.C. to honour Orange Shirt Day and deepen your understanding of Truth and Reconciliation.
Events across B.C.
- Book talk: Tiná7 Cht Ti Temíxw: We Come From This Land | Sep 23 at North Vancouver City Library
- A Resting Heart: Documentary Screening and Conversation | Sep 23 at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, Abbotsford
- Indigenous Shorts Film Festival | Sep 25 at Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch
- Film screening of Laxwesa Wa: Strength of the River | Sep 26 at Michael Wright Art Gallery
- Selected Cinema: Dancing Around the Table, Documentary Screening | Sep 26 at Museum of North Vancouver
- Book launch: Kalli Van Stone’s welik’t | Sep 26 at Rose Moon Books, Vernon
- The Path Forward | Sep 27 at Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
- Truth and Reconciliation Through Film | Sep 29 at BCIT Downtown Campus
- Film Screening: Nechako: It Will Be a Big River Again | Sep 29 at Vancouver Public Library, Carnegie Branch
- Across Generations Film Screening | Sep 30 at The Cinematheque
- Films For The National Day Of Truth And Reconciliation From Indigenous Voices | Sep 30 at The Polygon Gallery
- Children’s Book Reading with Joseph A. Dandurand | Sep 30 at Arts Umbrella
- Movie Matinee: Aberdeen | Sep 30 at West Vancouver Memorial Library
Please note this is not an exhaustive list of events happening across the province. View more events on the Indigenous Tourism BC website and the Culture Days website. More events will be added throughout the month of September.
Resources
Book + Magazine Publishing
- 29 must-read books for children and teens by Indigenous writers, curated by Phyllis Webstad
- Indigenous Books for Schools
- Indigenous Collections at your local branch – Vancouver Public Library
- Indigenous Reading List for Adults – Vancouver Public Library
- Indigenous-owned Bookstores in Canada – Rocky Mountain Books
Interactive + Digital Media
Motion Picture
- Indigenous Film Collection – Vancouver Public Library
- Indigenous Cinema – National Film Board of Canada
Music + Sound Recording
- Indigenous BC Playlist – Music BC
Resources, Tools, Actions, and Learning for Non-Indigenous People
Make a donation to support Indian Residential School Survivors
Learn whose land you are on with the First Peoples Map of B.C.
