Students celebrate heritage through traditional clothing at Ute Mountain Ute school
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TOWAOC, Colo. — On the first Tuesday of November, students and staff at Kwiyagat Community Academy gathered at the school’s prayer ground at 9 a.m. to celebrate Native American Heritage Month.
Ulysses Lang, the school’s Ute culture teacher, led the ceremony as students sang songs in the Ute language they had learned in class.
That Tuesday also marked “Traditional Tuesday,” a biweekly event where students and staff are encouraged to wear traditional clothing. Many arrived in ribbon skirts, ribbon shirts and moccasins. The new tradition celebrating indigenous culture started this school year, during a time when places of learning across the country — from elementary schools to universities — are rolling back their commitments to diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Founded in 2021, Kwiyagat Community Academy is the first public school on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation since the 1940s. The charter school serves 75 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Ninety-nine percent of the students and 75% of the staff are Native American.
The school follows Colorado’s academic standards while incorporating Ute language, traditional skills and Indigenous knowledge. Last year, KCA purchased sewing machines for third-through-fifth-grade students, who learned how to sew ribbons onto clothing.
Video: Ziyi Xu, Rocky Mountain PBS
Historically, Native Americans in Colorado were forced to assimilate to white American culture. Several boarding schools operated in the state, including the Ute Mountain Boarding School in Towaoc, which closed in 1942, and the Southern Ute Boarding School near Ignacio, which officially shut down in 1920 and ceased all campus operations by 1981.
“To me, seeing the kids wearing their traditional clothes is heartwarming. It makes me smile,” said Michela Alire, a third grade paraeducator. “Before, when they were in public schools, they weren’t allowed to show that. Here they’re encouraged to wear their traditional clothing and be proud of it.”
For Traditional Tuesday, fourth grader Redsky Lang wore a pink ribbon skirt made by her aunt, paired with a matching pink shirt.
“It’s not just something funny. It’s not just clothing,” Lang said. “It’s something important to us. Be yourself and don’t be embarrassed about wearing your traditional clothes.”
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. To read more about why you can trust the journalism of Rocky Mountain PBS, please visit our editorial standards and practices page.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. To read more about why you can trust the journalism of Rocky Mountain PBS, please visit our editorial standards and practices page.