As the sun rises on the national day for truth and reconciliation Sept. 30, several tribes in the Pacific Northwest are paying homage to Indigenous children who were forced into government and church-run boarding schools in the 1800s and 1900s.
The day, alternatively known as orange shirt day and national day of remembrance, is a day to “remember what happened to the children,” said Linda Smith, a Tulalip elder, retired Lutheran pastor and member of the Faith Action Network in Washington.
For Smith and another Christian member of the interfaith advocacy organization, bringing attention to the history of religiously-operated boarding schools is also an important part of their faith.
“As Christian people, we need to own this, and we need to help those that we can in terms of doing reconciliation and healing,” Smith said.
To that end, FAN’s Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities is encouraging people to wear an orange shirt, contact a tribe near them and attend an event, or engage in prayers of lament as a congregation.
“There’s ongoing repair work,” FAN partnership coordinator Elizabeth Dickinson said, adding that because many of the boarding schools were run by Christians, “we see very much our need to continue to build relationships and build awareness and make reparations in the ways that we can.”
Removing Indigenous children from their homes
In the 1800’s, the United States — in partnership and with the blessing of several Christian denominations — began a decades-long practice of removing Native American children from their tribes and placing them in boarding schools where they were forced to abandon their culture.
There were more than 526 government-funded, often church-run boarding schools for Indigenous children in the 19th and 20th centuries, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.
Thousands of children were taken from their families as part of this process, and were typically mistreated in the form of starvation, physical abuse and more. Many were punished if they tried to hold onto their culture and history in the form of clothing, language or traditions.
“When they entered boarding schools, generally their clothes were taken and burned, their hair was cut and they were forbidden to speak their languages,” Smith said.
“This isn’t what Christ came for,” she added. “Jesus didn’t say, ‘Beat the children until they do what you want.’ Jesus said, ‘Love your neighbor.’”
Reconciliation expresses Christian faith
Dickinson, a Jewish Christian who is part of the United Church of Christ, said she views reconciliation work and lamentation of past iterations of Christianity as part of her faith.
“My sense of the divine is of a deep longing, a deep love for all of creation,” she said. “What that looks like is justice, is flourishing, is healing, is deep care and respect for each other.”
Several public events honoring the survivors of boarding schools are being held or were held across the Pacific Northwest, including the 5k run/walk put on by Mother Nation in Seattle on Saturday.
To view a list of federally recognized tribes and to find one near you, visit washingtontribes.org. Many tribes hold community dinners to honor the day of remembrance.