Phyllis Webstad to see orange Niagara Falls in-person this Orange Shirt Day
Trigger warning: readers may be triggered by the recount of Indian Residential Schools. To access a 24-hour National Crisis Line, call: 1-866-925-4419. Community Assistance Program (CAP) can be accessed for citizens of the Anishinabek Nation: 1-800-663-1142
By Kelly Anne Smith
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE — Brian Kon asked the Niagara Falls Illumination Committee to colour Niagara Falls orange on September 30 to honour the children that went to Indian Residential Schools. That is how Kon and Phyllis Webstad became friends. She commented on the spectacular images of Niagara Falls illuminated orange.
Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, Phyllis Webstad is the Survivor who bravely told her story of having her new orange shirt stolen from her when she was forced to attend St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School at six years old.
Her story became the driving force behind Orange Shirt Day on September 30 and bearing the words ‘Every Child Matters.’
As Indigenous Lead for the Niagara Catholic District School Board, Brian Kon celebrates his Métis heritage and honours his Cree grandmothers. He has been responsible for turning Niagara Falls orange in memory of and in honour of the children that went to the Indian Residential Schools.
“It started out when the Falls turned orange, it would only be for fifteen minutes at 10 o’clock at night,” Kon recalls. “The last year, when the children (unmarked graves) came forward last summer, it switched and they are actually turning the Falls orange every hour on the hour for fifteen-minute segments. That’s how Phyllis and I connected.”
Kon talks of the first year the falls became orange as very moving.
“I told people that the Falls were turning orange. I went to the Falls and I was waiting for 10 o’clock for the lights to change. There were hundreds of people. That’s typical. I was hearing different languages and dialects in all sizes of groups having a good time, taking selfies and family photos. And at ten o’clock when the Falls turned orange, everyone stopped. There was not a sound to be heard. It was absolutely amazing. The Falls looked like they were on fire. When they turned orange, people knew something was different. They didn’t know what. I was probably the only one who actually knew why the Falls were orange at that time,” Kon recounts. “When I got home, I posted my photos online — on Facebook. And within the first three days, they had been shared over 10,000 times. As far as I knew, I read every single comment connected to my first post. There were thousands. And anyone that identified themselves as a Survivor or a family member of a Survivor, I responded to each of them.”
“Among those who commented was Phyllis Webstad. I reached out to her saying that her story had inspired the nation, but it also had inspired me. This was my way of getting involved. And after we got to know one another, she said she would love to come to Niagara Falls one day,” Kon continues. “So, the following year when the Falls were turning orange, she watched by satellite. And she recorded herself and it was fun to watch her reaction.”
A year ago, Phyllis Webstad made an exciting commitment surrounding this year’s Orange Shirt Day.
“A year ago, she said, ‘It will be 2022 and I’ll come to Niagara Falls.’ Phyllis has many connections through the Orange Shirt Society. Rotary Clubs across Canada have worked with her in the past and so when they knew she was coming, there were some local Rotarians that wanted to use the opportunity as a way to honour her and other Survivors,” Kon explains. “This started to grow. Phyllis is coming with her family who is included is herself, her two aunts, her mother, a cousin, her son, her son’s partner, and her grandchildren. From her son upwards, they are all Survivors. Her son actually went to the last Indian Residential School for a year in Saskatchewan until it closed in 1996. Two chiefs will join the group at a later time.”
Phyllis Webstad’s story opens the door for global conversations on Indian Residential Schools – the impacts and legacy – and the inspiration to honour all Survivors and those children who never made it home.
“Everything that we are doing really came together because of the Orange Shirt story from Phyllis – her story. And because of her story, it spread across the nation. Because of her story, we are turning the Falls orange… Phyllis is one of 150,000 children who were sent to the schools. It’s important we recognize all the children who survived and those who didn’t.”
There will be many opportunities for Phyllis to connect with others in Ontario to share her story. When she comes to Niagara, she is going to spend part of the day at Niagara College and visiting Brock University.
The Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre will be welcoming her and her family with a dinner and round dance. And Kon has invited her to go to the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford.
Phyllis is looking forward to spending a couple of nights in Toronto and attending a Blue Jays game.
“They have tickets to go to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Phyllis’ son, [Jeremy Boston], now has a program called the Orange Jersey Project. He’s working with sports teams to bring in the colour orange for team colours or practice jerseys.”
The family will be featured in the presentation, Beyond the Orange Shirt Story Niagara Falls 2022, at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catherines. Happening on Monday, August 26, there is a matinee for school age students and in the evening, it’s open to the general public. Registration is required for free tickets with an option for leaving a donation.
“They will present from the view of the generations, knowing where the next generation was being taken to and what were the impacts to them as multigenerational Survivors,” explains Kon.
Also speaking at the event will be Willow Shawanoo-Kechego of the Turtle Clan, Anishnaabekwe from the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation. Shawanoo-Kechego is the daughter and granddaughter of Survivors. She will talk about intergenerational trauma and how it impacted her family.
On the Tuesday, Phyllis will speak to the Rotary Club of Niagara Falls, which is hosting a luncheon with up to 500 people, inviting Survivors to attend and be guests of honour.
Brian Kon is excited about the following Wednesday evening.
“There is a gathering at the Falls for Drums Across Niagara. There will be a group of singers and drummers on the Canadian side of the falls and there will be a group on the [American] side. When we’re along the Niagara Gorge, those voices and those drums are going to carry right down the gorge.”
On Thursday, an Indigenous-focused concert directed by Ken Johnson will be enjoyed along the Falls.
“On Friday, there will be a Sunrise Ceremony. A sacred fire will be lit at noon at the top of the Falls which will burn for the rest of the day. That will be available so anyone can come to Niagara, specifically on the 30th, to a place of healing. In the evening, around 8 o’clock as it gets dark, the Falls will turn orange every hour on the hour for fifteen minutes. With 150,000 children, 10,000 Survivors per minute are being honoured as the Falls turn orange.”
Singers and the drummers attending the Niagara Regional Native Centre 8th Annual Traditional Powwow will join in for a spiritual connection in front of the Falls.
Niagara Falls normally has fireworks on Friday evenings, so Kon has asked that the finale feature orange fireworks for the climax to produce an orange sky over the orange Falls.
Kon wants the public to know that if they want to be part of it, they are welcome. He shares a story from Phyllis.
“One of the things that Phyllis shared was about a school out west on Vancouver Island that knew she was going to be here and they did some fundraising and they are sponsoring two Survivors from Vancouver Island and sending them to Niagara Falls,” recounts Kon. “For one of them, a gentleman, he said this is the start of his healing journey. Up until now, he hadn’t faced that. He’s planning to start that journey with his visit to Niagara Falls. The rotary clubs across Canada are looking to their communities and are offering to do the same.”
Kon recalls a powerful moment last year at the Falls while preparing a smudge.
“When I turned around, on the other side of the river, on the [American] side, there was a sea of orange shirts. And when I looked up, the Seneca Casino billboard had the slogan ‘Every Child Matters.’
“Clearly because the Falls are a binational Wonder of the World, people are starting to talk on the U.S. side. And certainly, most of that goes to the work that Phyllis is doing.”
Brian Kon says he’s been given a gift.
“After that first year, there’s more people aware of what was happening with the Falls turning orange. I was able to meet Survivors and greet them and hug them. My hope is that this is part of a healing process, that when I look to the power of Niagara and what she does, I’m hoping that in some way people can allow some of that pain of what they’ve endured to go over the Falls. Wash away some of the pain,” he says. “The Falls’ Illumination Committee has designated September 30th as just Orange Shirt Day. Niagara Parks will light up the Falls orange on September 30th moving forth.”
The following day on October 1, Niagara Regional Native Centre 8th Annual Traditional Powwow welcomes Phyllis Webstad, her family, and other Survivors to be honoured as special guests.
A speaker at Beyond the Orange Shirt Story Niagara Falls 2022, Willow Shawanoo-Kechego, is also the Pow Wow Outreach and Fundraising Coordinator excited to host at the Meridian Centre.
“We have formal invitations going out to Chiefs in close communities, asking for their attendance. We are open to anybody coming to help us honour her.”
Young Tribe is host drum with co-host drum Shawana Drum. Charging Horse, Little Creek, Young Nation, Chippewa Point, and Red Spirit Singers are also confirmed. They all will play in a seven-drum drumline Honour Song during a Jingle Dress special for Phyllis.
Willow boasts the Niagara Regional Native Centre 8th Annual Traditional Powwow is the biggest arena pow wow in Canada.
“We are the biggest as far as Michigan and even the Gathering of Nations for arenas. We are going to be capping it around 6,600 [people]. There will be craft vendors on the ground floor with our drum circle.”
The Niagara Regional Native Centre will provide accommodations to any Survivors that want to attend, says Willow.
“It’s more about the ones willing to be honoured. We want to be able to provide that. I’m an intergenerational survivor myself. I never got to do any of that for my Grandpa. To be able to offer that to somebody else’s Nookomis or Nimishomis is an honour.”