Every Child Matters: NMH Shows Solidarity on Orange Shirt Day

On Sept. 30, Northfield Mount Hermon students, staff, and faculty donned orange in recognition of Orange Shirt Day, an international movement to highlight the legacy of abuse and disenfranchisement suffered by Native communities at the hands of government-mandated residential schools in Canada and the United States.

"It's meant to bring awareness to residential schools, their effects, and how they're still felt today in a lot of Native communities," said Piper McGrath '28, a member of the Native Affinity Group on campus.

Officially known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Orange Shirt Day began in Canada in 2013 to draw attention to the hardships endured by generations of Native students from the 1800s through the late 20th century under the guise of cultural assimilation. In reality, students were barred from speaking their Native languages and practicing their cultural traditions, while being routinely subjected to violence and abuse.

It's a legacy that many Native communities and families continue to grapple with, said Azalea Lazore '28. "I feel like the biggest thing around it is the stigma. A lot of survivors struggle with it. All of my grandparents attended residential schools, and only in the last couple years have the elders in my community started talking about it and bringing awareness to it."

The loss of cultural connection and traditions can be felt by Native youth today, noted Onahkwiio Barnes '30, whose grandparents were also forced to attend residential schools.

"A big part of it is not getting to learn as much about the culture as I want to know," said Barnes, a member of the Saint Regis Mohawk tribe. That includes having to relearn the Mohawk language as well as the stories and customs lost through forced assimilation.

Orange Shirt Day serves not only as a reminder of those experiences but as an opportunity for Native communities to heal and to call for truth and accountability from the institutions that enabled the residential school system. In 2023, it became a statutory holiday in Canada.

At NMH's weekly all-school meeting, students in the Native Affinity Group called on the wider campus community to wear orange in solidarity with Native communities. In addition, the girls' varsity soccer team worked with Dwayne Thomas P'24 and the Native-owned company Turtle Island Promotions to design special orange shirts for its Sept. 30 home game against Marianapolis Preparatory School.

"I'm just glad the recognition is finally getting brought out," said London Lazore '27. "This is a day when people can take a deep dive into these cultures and traditions and look more deeply into the history."

London, who is new to NMH this year, appreciates the space and opportunities the school affords students to share their backgrounds, cultures, and traditions.

"I feel like everyone's heard here. If you have an idea or thought, [the school] will hear you out and listen. If you want to teach about your culture or tradition or bring in visitors to help teach, they're open to that, which is awesome."

— Max Hunt

For more information on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, visit orangeshirtday.org.