‘We’ll stand for the children’: crowds gather for Orange Shirt Day in Winnipeg

A sea of people clad in orange shirts and waving flags marched through downtown Winnipeg to honour those who survived and died in residential schools.

Wednesday marked National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day. It was first enshrined as a Manitoba statutory holiday on Sept. 30, 2024.

As part of the many organized events throughout the province, the Southern Chiefs Organization held the sixth annual Orange Shirt Day Healing Walk and Pow Wow.

The march began with Indigenous elders leading prayers and a pipe and smudging ceremony at Oodena Celebration Circle at The Forks.

SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels told the crowd gathered there that Indigenous people need to take back their history so it will never be forgotten.

“Let’s walk and let’s remind people every single day that we will stand for the youth and we’ll stand for the children,” he said.

As the crowd formed, one person held a sign that stated, “You tried to erase us but we’re still here.”

Thousands of people marched with arms intertwined while Indigenous drums rang throughout Main Street. Women wearing multicoloured ribbon skirts with bells sewn on jingled while walking.