Honouring Truth and Reconciliation at Southridge

On September 29, our Southridge community will come together to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. It is a day to honour Indigenous children who never returned home from residential schools, remember the survivors and their families, and reflect on our shared responsibility to learn, listen, and work toward reconciliation.

As we wear orange and participate in learning and reflection throughout the day, we invite our community to consider the meaning behind a special piece of artwork that has become an important part of our school.

A Crest with Meaning

In 2024, Southridge unveiled a Coast Salish-style interpretation of our school crest, created by Semiahmoo First Nation artist Roxanne Charles. The artwork honours the Eagle and Orca from our original crest while incorporating symbols that hold deep significance for the Semiahmoo people and the broader Coast Salish community.

At its centre, a face represents the Semiahmoo people and their enduring voice. Salmon, represented through the oval inlays, symbolize the life and interconnectedness of Coast Salish territories. Footsteps beneath the Eagle honour Semiahmoo and Indigenous ancestors who have been lost to residential schools, colonial tragedies, and the ongoing impacts of intergenerational trauma.

The red cedar and abalone installation was created by Sechelt Nation (shíshálh) artist Shain Jackson and unveiled at a special assembly in September 2024, alongside Roxanne Charles and Semiahmoo First Nation Chief Harley Chappell.

We are grateful to Roxanne Charles and Shain Jackson for this powerful collaboration and for creating an enduring reminder of Southridge’s commitment to Indigenous partnership, learning, and reconciliation.

Wearing Orange with Intention

Our special Orange Shirt version of the crest carries additional meaning. Created exclusively for Orange Shirts, the design features a deep purple background representing the weight of trauma carried across generations. When printed on an orange shirt, the orange material reveals an angel within the heart of the Eagle, representing Indigenous ancestors.

The crest is accompanied by the Coast Salish phrase elh tel nong et, meaning “To Know with Understanding.” It is a reminder that reconciliation begins with listening, learning, and acting with awareness and compassion.

Southridge acknowledges that we teach and learn on the unceded territory of the Semiahmoo First Nation and the broader unceded territories of the Coast Salish people.

This September 30, we invite our community to wear orange, take time to learn, and reflect on what Truth and Reconciliation asks of each of us.

Contributed by Darren Jones, Assistant Head of School – Community Engagement