Orange Shirt Day
Łdakát adátx’i atxh sitee
What is Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day is observed annually on September 30 to honor and recognize the impact of the residential and boarding school systems on Indigenous communities. The day raises awareness about the history of these institutions, where Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families, stripped of their languages and identities, and subjected to abuse.
The date was chosen in reference to the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor, whose new orange shirt was taken away on her first day at school. That shirt has since become a powerful symbol, not only of the suffering and loss of identity inflicted on Indigenous peoples, but also of their resilience and ongoing healing across the U.S. and Canada.
In Skagway, the Skagway Traditional Council observes Orange Shirt Day to acknowledge the traumatic and complex history of the Pius X Mission School for Native Children. The Council honors the children impacted by the institution and reflects on the broader harm caused by residential schools in Alaska and beyond.
Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity for the community to recognize the lasting damage, support healing, and work toward truth and reconciliation. By observing this day, the Skagway Traditional Council reaffirms its commitment to the resilience, strength, and cultural survival of Indigenous peoples.
