Every Child Matters:
Honoring Orange Shirt Day at Jesse Lee Cemetery
September 30, 2026 | Qutekcak Native Tribe
Remembering the children. Honoring the survivors. Preserving the truth.
On September 30, 2026, Qutekcak Native Tribe gathered at the historic Jesse Lee Home Cemetery in Seward, Alaska, to observe Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It was a day dedicated to remembrance, reflection, cultural connection, and honoring the children whose lives were forever changed by the history of institutional care and separation from their families and communities.
Beneath the trees of the cemetery, the community came together for prayer, traditional drumming, and the placement of carnations in remembrance of the children who never made it home.
For Qutekcak Native Tribe, this day carries a particularly meaningful responsibility. The Jesse Lee Home Cemetery is more than a historical site. It is the final resting place of children whose names, families, stories, and cultural connections deserve to be remembered.
The Meaning Behind the Orange Shirt
Orange Shirt Day began as a movement to recognize the experiences of Indigenous children who attended residential schools in Canada. Inspired by the story of survivor Phyllis Webstad, whose new orange shirt was taken from her on her first day at residential school, the orange shirt became a symbol of the loss of identity, culture, dignity, and belonging experienced by generations of Indigenous children.
Today, the message "Every Child Matters" reaches beyond borders, reminding communities of the importance of acknowledging historical injustices, honoring survivors, and protecting future generations.
In Seward, this message holds special significance as Qutekcak Native Tribe continues its efforts to research, restore, and preserve the history of the Jesse Lee Home and the children connected to it.
A Sacred Place of Remembrance
For years, the Jesse Lee Home Cemetery was hidden beneath extensive overgrowth. Grave markers were difficult to locate, burial records were incomplete, and families were left without clear answers about where their loved ones had been laid to rest.
Beginning in 2021, Qutekcak Native Tribe undertook extensive historical research, reviewing cemetery records, death certificates, archival documents, and other historical sources to identify children who had attended the Jesse Lee Home.
Through this work, additional names were brought forward, previously undocumented burial information was uncovered, and efforts began to reconnect descendants with the history of their loved ones.
Community volunteers dedicated countless hours to clearing vegetation, removing debris, locating grave markers, and restoring dignity to the cemetery grounds.
In June 2026, another important milestone was reached with the raising of the Jesse Lee Home Cemetery memorial archway.
When the community gathered for Orange Shirt Day in September, it did so at a cemetery that had undergone years of restoration and now stood as a visible testament to the importance of remembrance.
The Heartbeat of Remembrance
Traditional drumming and prayer were central to the 2026 gathering.
The sound of the drum carried a message that words alone cannot always express. It represented connection, cultural continuity, and the enduring presence of those who came before us.
Carnations were placed in remembrance of the children, each flower a simple but meaningful gesture of love and respect.
These acts remind us that remembrance is not limited to historical records, monuments, or ceremonies. It lives in the willingness of communities to gather, speak the truth, share their traditions, and ensure that those who came before us are never forgotten.
For the families and descendants connected to Jesse Lee Home, preserving this history also creates opportunities for understanding, reconnection, and healing.
They Were More Than Names in a Record
One of the most important lessons of the Jesse Lee Home Cemetery Restoration & Remembrance Project is that every name represents a person.
These children were sons and daughters. They were brothers, sisters, grandchildren, and members of communities across Alaska.
They had families, cultures, languages, traditions, and stories that extended far beyond the walls of the Jesse Lee Home.
Some never had the opportunity to return to their home communities.
Others were laid to rest in graves that became difficult to identify as decades passed.
Their lives cannot be reduced to a line in a cemetery ledger or a date on a memorial plaque.
They mattered then. They matter now. And their stories deserve to be carried forward.
Remembrance Is an Ongoing Responsibility
Orange Shirt Day is one day on the calendar, but the responsibility to remember continues throughout the year.
For Qutekcak Native Tribe, that commitment is reflected in the ongoing Jesse Lee Home Cemetery Restoration & Remembrance Project.
The work includes historical research, burial documentation, family outreach, cemetery preservation, cultural education, and continued memorial development.
With the memorial archway now installed, the Tribe is working toward the next phase of the project, which includes two traditionally carved totem poles and a memorial panel.
These additions are intended to further honor the children while creating a lasting place for families, descendants, and future generations to gather, reflect, and learn.
The memorial is not simply about preserving the past. It is about ensuring that the lessons of history remain visible and that future generations understand the importance of cultural identity, family connections, dignity, and belonging.
Every Child Matters — Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
As we reflect on Orange Shirt Day 2026, we extend our gratitude to the community members, families, volunteers, cultural participants, and supporters who continue to stand alongside Qutekcak Native Tribe in this important work.
Your presence, dedication, and willingness to remember help ensure that the children of Jesse Lee Home are not lost to history.
We cannot undo the hardships of the past.
We cannot return the years that were lost or rewrite the stories that ended too soon.
But we can speak their names.
We can preserve their history.
We can honor their resting places.
We can listen to survivors and descendants.
And we can make certain that future generations understand why remembrance matters.
Because every child deserves to be remembered. Every story deserves to be told. And every child matters.
Qutekcak Native Tribe — Honoring the Homeland. Land, Language, and Legacy.
Support the Jesse Lee Home Cemetery Restoration & Remembrance Project
Qutekcak Native Tribe welcomes community partnerships, donations, and support as we continue the next phase of memorial development. Together, we can create a lasting tribute that honors the children, preserves their history, and ensures their memory lives on for generations to come.
