Hello, and welcome to the third edition of The Skoden Scene. This week's newsletter is focused on Orange Shirt Day, what it means to the Native and Indigenous communities in the U.S. and Canada, and how you can get involved, both here on campus and away, as well as learn more about the continued need for this day.

CONTENT WARNING: This newsletter contains information and accounts about the history of residential schools and the forced assimilation of Native and Indigenous people by the U.S. and Canadian governments, hand-in-hand with churches. This includes topics related to cultural trauma, abuse, and systemic oppression. Reader discretion is advised, and please take time to disconnect for self-care if these topics are difficult for you to engage with. Linked below is the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition resource list for help when engaging with these topics.

Orange Shirt Day, also known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation or the National Day of Remembrance, occurs annually on September 30th. Orange Shirt Day recognizes the over 150,000 Indigenous children who endured forced assimilation through residential schools across the United States and Canada, where they were stripped of their clothes, languages, and Indigenous identities. Orange Shirt Day has been organized to reckon with the intergenerational trauma that continues to be felt by survivors and their communities to this day, as well as promoting the truth that Every Child Matters. 

Beginning in the 19th century, both the Canadian and U.S. governments, as well as various church groups, established residential (also known as boarding) schools for Native and Indigenous children, with the sole goal of assimilating them to the lifestyle of white Christians. The goal was to eradicate Indigenous languages, cultures, and ultimately, Indigenous people themselves. In 1920 in Canada, under the Indian Act, it became legally binding for every Indigenous child in Canada to attend a residential school and barred them from attending any other educational institution. Similarly, the Indian Civilization Act Fund of 1819, the Peace Policy of 1869, and various church denominations, adopted a policy of "Kill the Indian, Save the Man." Through this, children were forcibly removed from their families, communties, cultures, and their land, and held hostage in these schools while being forcibly assimilated to white Christian cultures. Some examples of this includes forcing haircuts on the children, seizing their tradtional clothing, give up their cultural names and take English names, and force them to speak English and punish them for speaking their Native languages. Children were completely separated from their families and forced to sit through lessons that taught them to be ashamed of their Indigenous heritage and cultures, told over and over again that they, and their families, were inferior. In addition to these lessons and treatment, these schools were the sites of horrific abuse (physical, sexual, and emotional) perpetrated against Native and Indigenous children, the scars of which have never healed for many. There were upwards of 130 residential schools in Canada, and roughly 408 in the United States. The last residential school was closed in 1996, only 27 years ago. It is estimated that between four to six thousand children died while at these residential schools. In the U.S., the Federal Indian Boarding School initiative had identified both marked and unmarked burial sites at approximately 53 of these U.S. schools, with more being discovered.  

Orange Shirt Day was initiated, and continues to allow for, conversations about residential schools on an international scale, and allows for meaningful discussions of the impacts and legacies of residential schools. The orange shirt symbol was inspired by Phyllis (Jack) Webstad’s experience of having her orange shirt, given lovingly to her by her grandmother for her first day of school, which was stripped off and taken away from her upon arrival to the Mission school she was required to attend in the 1970s. Phyllis was the third generation in her family to be forced to attend a residential school. The color orange reminds Webstad of her experience and “how [her] feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared, and how [she] felt like [she] was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying and no one cared.” Phyllis describes how worthless her experience at Mission school made her feel, and how it still affects her today. Wearing the color orange on Orange Shirt Day signifies to everyone that Every Child Matters: both the survivors and the ones who never got to return home after being taken to these schools simply for being an Indigenous child. It is a call for remembrance and a call for justice and reconciliation for the generations of people these institutions have harmed and a call for accountability of the forces that caused this immense harm.

Wear Orange

We invite you to join us by wearing an orange shirt on campus on September 29th to raise awareness (as Orange Shirt Day takes place on Saturday this year), and also wear an orange shirt on September 30th over the weekend to show your support for survivors and to open up conversations about the horrific history of residential schools. 

NAISU Orange Shirt Day Fundraiser

NAISU (Native American and Indigenous Student Union) will be hosting an Orange Shirt Day fundraiser on October 6th (due to inclement weather on the 29th) outside of McKeldin Library nearby the Testudo statue to raise awareness around Orange Shirt Day, and raise money for the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and NAISU programming. Swing by their table to learn more about Orange Shirt Day, support them, and donate! There will be cookies and friendship bracelets for purchase.

Take the Indigenous Canada Course

The University of Alberta in Canada has provided the opportunity to take a free online 12-lesson course that explores the different histories and contemporary perspectives of Indigenous peoples living in Canada from an Indigenous perspective. The topics covered in this course are the fur trade and other exchange relationships, land claims and environmental impacts, legal systems and rights, political conflicts and alliances, Indigenous political activism, and contemporary Indigenous life, art and its expressions. This course is aimed toward acquiring a basic familiarity with Indigenous/non-Indigenous relationships.

Donate to the Orange Shirt Society

You can use the link below to donate directly to the Orange Shirt Society in their goal to raise awareness about residential schools and their continuing impact.

Forward This Newsletter to Your Networks

One of the main goals of Orange Shirt Day is to raise awareness about the existence of the day and the this extremely often-hidden history. A quick, simple way you can help is to forward this edition of the the newsletter to your networks to help spread these educational resources. Please consider taking a few seconds to pass this information on!

We have compiled a list of different ways to learn more about Orange Shirt Day and the residential schools through different mediums. Please take some time to engage with these resources and learn how you can advocate for survivors. Please remember that these resources are just a starting point in learning about this history. There are many more sources out there to look into and contemplate as you move forward. Yakoke ("thank you" in Choctaw)!

Reading: U.S. Report on Church-State Collusion

In 2022, the Interior Department released a report detailing the legacy of residential schools and how collusion between church and state led to the atrocities committed against Native and Indigenous people through the schools aimed to "Christianize" the children. This report was sparked by the discovery of gravesites on many residential school properties. The newstory linked below gives information on how both the government and churches are culpable for these atrocities.

Podcast: Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's

Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's is an 8-episode podcast series that tells the story of Stolen host's Connie Walker's father's story of the horrors he lived through at one of Canada's catholic residential schools, how it has affected their relationship, and how this trauma continues through generations.

Television Show: Reservation Dogs: Season 3, Episode 3

Reservation Dogs is an award-winning television series directed by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi that is one of the most celebrated shows in the Native and Indigenous community for its commitment to Indigenous storytelling and portrayal of Native culture. Season 3, Episode 3, entitled "Deer Woman", gives an eye-opening view into what life was like for Indigenous children who were taken to these schools and the horrors and abuse that they endured. This is one of the first pieces of popular media regarding residential schools that has been written, directed, and acted by Native people to tell a story relating to residential schools. Portions of the episode focused on residential school experiences and use a filming and directing technique that allows the viewer to relate what many of the children felt going to these schools, such as making the voices of the people running a residential school muffled and incomprehensible, alluding to how many Native children felt being taken to these schools and not being able to understand the nuns, priests, and other staff members who were speaking in a language they didn't know or understand. One of the actors, Adam Maker, a 14-year-old Osage boy, agreed to have his long hair cut for the filming of this episode, to showcase how emotional and heartbreaking that was for the children who were forced to go through this form of ripping away Native culture. His goal was to "represent all the children that were forced to cut their hair and to also represent all of the ones who never made it home." You can read more about his experience and read the summary of the episode linked below, but we heavily encourage you to watch this episode (and the rest of the show, which has just aired its final episode) on Hulu.

Digital Library: The Orange Path: Resources For Learning

The Orange Path has created a resource library to learn about Indigenous history and educate yourself about advocacy and support for Truth and Reconciliation surrounding the U.S. and Canada's treatment (past and present) of Indigenous people. You can naviagate to the link below to access these resources. There are sections for workplace resources, educator resources, resources for children, and much more. Please take some time to explore this resource library. There is always something more to learn!

Queering the Collection: Christine Duckworth

The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland is hosting a free event titled "Queering the Collection: Christine Duckworth.

"In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 9), join us for a conversation about nature, identity, and art between beaded jewelry artist Christine Duckworth, a beaded jewelry artist, and Ellen Hoobler, William B. Ziff, Jr., Curator of the Art of the Americas. In this program, Duckworth, a member of the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina and the 2Spirit community, and Hoobler will discuss works by Indigenous artists in the Walters collection. Duckworth’s jewelry is available for purchase in the Museum store.

Queering the Collection is an in-gallery program series that invites queer-identifying perspectives to participate in a conversation that connects art-historical and artistic knowledge about works in our collection. Speakers discuss works of art in our galleries followed by a Q&A session with the audience."

Registration is required for this event and the form is linked below.

Champions For Change: Recognizing Native Youth Who Inspire One Another to Make a Positive Impact in Their Communities

The Champions for Change (CFC) program is a Native youth leadership initiative designed to highlight positive stories of impact from Indian Country. The program, inspired by a 2011 White House initiative, develops young Native leaders through experience-based learning and tailored advocacy training.

About the Program: Each year, CNAY selects five inspirational Native youth, ages 14-24 from across the United States to be Champions for Change. All applicants, regardless of acceptance, are named Gen-I Ambassadors and stay engaged with CNAY and the Gen-I Network. Champions are young leaders who have a desire to better their communities. This can be done in schools or programs, on reservations or in urban environments; anywhere there is opportunity to create positive impact.

Applications are now open and are due October 22, 2023!

Application requirements include: one essay, one peer recommendation, and one adult recommendation. Apply now!

American Indian College Fund

This is a master list of scholarship opportunites for Native and Indigenous students. Please feel free to save this link, explore, and apply to these opportunities!

Each year, the Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy (MICA) office of Adele H. Stamp Student Union coordinates a campus-wide calendar of events to commemorate Native & Indigenous Heritage Month.

This year’s theme for Native & Indigenous Heritage Month is Learn My Story. This theme centers space for Indigenous students and community members to share their life stories, paths, while honoring their ancestors. Each Indigenous person has a different story, and each deserves to be honored and celebrated for their uniqueness. "Learn My Story" is a call to action for non-Indigenous people to learn from, make space, and advocate for the lived experiences of Indigenous people. Additionally, it's a call to empower Native people to be able to tell their own stories in the way that they need to and not paint them into boxes.

If you and your office, department, or organization would like to include a November program on the Native and Indigenous Heritage Month calendar, submit your program here. Programs must be submitted by 5:00pm, October 13th in order to be advertised on our printed calendars. Events will be advertised on the Native & Indigenous Heritage Month 2023 website.

Please email Kyrsha Balderas at balderas@umd.edu or Xandie Iti Lusakbi at xwood@umd.edu with any questions, or concerns. Please share with your networks!

Each year, the Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy (MICA) Office coordinates a campus-wide calendar of events to celebrate Multiracial Heritage Month in March to honor the identities, stories, and histories of mixed-race, multiethnic, and transracial adoptee individuals. 

The University of Maryland is a leader in this area of student support nationwide and we are excited to begin planning for 2024! We are seeking committee members to support the planning and coordination of the campus-wide Multiracial Heritage Month. Details including sign up and commitment information. 

If you are unable to volunteer, I encourage you to keep MRHM in mind for March as you plan your own events/programs. I also encourage you to share the attached graphic with any students/colleagues who you think might be interested.

Submit interest: http://stamp.umd.edu/MRHMC24

Deadline: October 13, 2023 

First meeting: Late October 2023

Commitment: You can anticipate that the committee will typically meet regularly (biweekly - weekly) to discuss, plan, and coordinate events for the Multiracial Heritage Month — March 2024. Our work will include choosing a theme, developing marketing materials, helping to get the word out, and working on events during the month.

If you would like an event, opportunity, or other information to be announced in this newsletter for the Native and Indigenous UMD community, please fill out the form linked below with all relevant information to be considered for inclusion in an upcoming edition!