September 30th marks A Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a Canadian holiday in honor of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis residential school survivors and their families.
In 2022, Tanana Chiefs Conference’s (TCC) Full Board of Directors adopted Resolution 2022-13. This resolution acknowledges the significance of A Day for Truth and Reconciliation and aligns Canada’s efforts to seek justice for victims of residential boarding schools with TCC’s mission to raise awareness and seek justice for those affected by boarding schools in Alaska.
Each year, we invite you to wear orange on September 30th to acknowledge the truth about mandatory Indian boarding schools and to honor the generations who have been deeply affected by their legacy. “Wearing orange on September 30th is a message to our communities that these heinous crimes against our people won’t go unseen,” says Chief Brian Ridley, “I hope to see the same accountability take place in America in the coming years.”
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the U.S. government operated over 400 boarding schools where Indigenous children were forcibly enrolled. These schools aimed to erase Indigenous cultures through forced assimilation, training students for low-paying, high-risk jobs. Many suffered physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and over 500 Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children died. Thousands never returned home.
In addition to wearing orange on September 30th, TCC encourages people to read, listen to, and watch the stories of our Elders, as their depictions are a historical unfolding and a call to action for officials to take action on this appalling history.