Jizo Prayer Flags for Orange Shirt Day

You are invited to make Jizo prayer flags and images to honour and remember the indigenous children who died in residential schools, and those who survived. Materials are provided in the Wall St. zendo entry hall. 

Jizo bodhisattva is beloved in Japanese culture as the protector of women, children and travelers, particularly children who have died. Jizo is often depicted as a childlike image wearing a red bib (or rakusu) and a red cap/toque.

For Orange Shirt Day (National Day for Truth and  Reconciliation ) we are making prayer flags of Jizo images with orange bibs/rakusu. Materials are available in the zendo entry hall. Kakuko Kaye has kindly prepared the flags for us so that they can displayed like Tibetan prayer flags. You are welcome to make a Jizo prayer flag before or after any regular practice time. We will collect these flags on Saturday, September 30. We will hang the Jizo images in the zendo entry hall and we will also offer them to our upstairs neighbours at Aboriginal Mothers Society.

You are also encouraged to join in one of the various community events for Orange Shirt Day, as you reflect on the history and legacy of colonization, and the deep commitment to healing that indigenous communities are asking of themselves and all inhabitants of this precious land.