Manitoba·NewSouthern Manitobans honoured residential school victims and survivors during a celebration in Steinbach ahead of Orange Shirt Day.Organizers say gathering an opportunity to share Indigenous culture and work towards reconciliationArturo Chang · CBC News · Posted: Sep 19, 2025 9:07 PM EDT | Last Updated: 23 minutes agoA hoop dancer performs at an Orange Shirt Day event in Steinbach, Man. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)Indigenous people at an Orange Shirt Day event in Steinbach say they hope the gathering will help others in southeastern Manitoba understand the legacy of residential schools.Hundreds showed up to the event held in the city’s Southeast Event Centre Friday, just over a week ahead of the Sept. 30 commemoration officially known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.”To see that whole wave of orange walk down that street together in the spirit of reconciliation is why we wanted to do this,” said Russell Mason. The Fisher River Cree Nation member helped organize the event.”We wanted to share who we are as First Nations, as Indigenous, as people in southeastern of Manitoba. We wanted to show that yes, reconciliation is important. And I think this community just proved that it is important, that it is here.”Hundreds showed up to the event, which was held in the city’s Southeast Event Centre Friday. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)Orange Shirt Day was created by residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad. Her grandmother gave her an orange shirt ahead of her first day at a B.C. residential school, but it was taken away after she arrived.Other residential school survivors shared their stories at the Steinbach event, which also featured performances by Indigenous musicians and dancers, as well as artisans and other vendors.WATCH | Hundreds mark Orange Shirt Day at Steinbach event:Community members mark Orange Shirt Day early in SteinbachDozens of people marched through the streets of Steinbach, Man., on Friday, in a sea of orange clothing, to honour survivors of residential schools and remember those who did not make it home. It’s part of what organizers say was a first of its kind, Indigenous-led event in the city.’We need to reach out’Artist Ernie Cobiness — son of Indian Group of Seven artist Eddy Cobiness — said celebrations like this one help build bridges between communities.”We need to reach out, make the rest of Canada and other people understand reconciliation,” he said.This will be the second year Sept. 30 will be a statutory holiday for Manitobans. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)”We’re from Buffalo Point and we’ve never had nothing like this.… We’ve come together [for] Orange Shirt Day and we’ve demonstrated on our First Nation. But we’ve never come to Steinbach or any other community to do this — which is a good thing.”People of all ages and backgrounds came to the event, including teacher Anita McAdam and her young students from the Crystal Spring Hutterite colony near Ste. Agathe.”A lot of it is going over their heads, but … I hear them and it’s making an impact, and they care,” she said. “I want to raise caring individuals who care about Canada and its people and also about each other.””I feel it’s important for all walks of life to understand what happened,” said Leah Richard, whose children came to the event with their school. Richard said her grandmother was also a residential school survivor.The event featured performances by Indigenous musicians and dancers. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)”Just to have some understanding that this did happen and be able to move forward from it and just make this a better life for our youth.”This will be the second year Sept. 30 will be a statutory holiday for Manitobans. Mason said the event has been years in the making.”My wife and I looked at each other, One day it will be good to see just a wave of orange walking through the street,” he said. “And here we are. We did that today.” (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)With files from Gavin Axelrod
Hundreds attend Orange Shirt Day event in Steinbach
