WRMS - More than Orange Shirts

More than Orange Shirts
Posted on 10/12/2024

The collaboration and learning was evident as the school came together on September 27, 2024. 

It all started a year ago, when students in the Indigenous Studies class started to research the meaning of Truth and Reconciliation. Students discovered stories about residential schools and followed news reports regarding the closest in proximity - the former Mohawk residential school, which operated until 1970. They learned about survivor stories of apples which the students had to pick from their yard but were not allowed to eat. They were given terrible food including mush. The school was nicknamed the “mush hole”. If they ate the fresh apples, they were punished. 

WRMS students thought this was a horrible situation and tried to think of a way to right the past wrongs. 

The idea proposed seemed a little far fetched for a small group of WRMS students, no matter how well meaning: 

“Let’s build an apple orchard, to honour the survivors of the Mohawk Institute and pay tribute to the students who were not allowed to eat the apples as well as the ones who did not make it home.” 

After a year of planning, perseverance and teamwork, on September 27, 2024, W Ross Macdonald school unveiled a Memorial Apple Orchard on Orange Shirt day this year. In a wooded area on the school grounds, students helped to plant 5 six-foot apple trees bought by the school and all students helped to plant hundreds of apple seeds. 

Members of the Survivors Secretariat from Ohsweken were invited to speak about their experience and cut the ribbon on the orchard. We heard a land acknowledgement, speeches about the Orange Shirt story and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, blessings from our guests, Indigenous lessons in the school’s Outdoor classroom (surrounded by trees, with tables and chairs made of tree stumps), news of the school artwork providing a Legacy space, music, drank apple cider and felt a wonderful sense of community. A commemorative plaque in print and braille marks the occasion. The members of the Survivors Secretariat whose purpose is to uncover the truth of the history of the Mohawk Institute, thanked us for inviting them to a ceremony that shows our commitment to learning the hard truth about Canadian history, showing our efforts towards reconciliation and would like to return to WRMS for future Indigenous-themed events such as the upcoming “Walk for Wenjack” and next year’s Orange shirt day.

WRMS students and staff gather for the unveiling of the Memorial Apple Orchard on Orange Shirt Day.

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