Orange Shirt Day takes place in Thompson and across the country this Monday.

 

The day has officially been recognized since 2013 but in reality began in 1973, when six year old Phyllis Webstad entered the St. Joseph Mission Residential School in BC.

 

She wore a brand new orange shirt for her first day of school but it was taken away and replaced with the school’s uniform.

 

Marie Highway, the Indigenous Student Advisor at R.D. Parker collegiate, and coordinator for the local event explains what this day means.

 

“It’s a day to honour residential school survivors, to learn about residential school survivors, to work toward reconciliation and learning from past mistakes. It’s an opportunity for First Nations and non-First Nations to come together in the spirt of reconciliation."

 

This year, R.D. Parker students will leave the school on a walk around 11:15 and when they return to the school, a mural by Jasyn Lucas will be unveiled in the forum and dedicated to residential school survivors.

 

That will be followed by a feast for students, staff and parents in the forum.

 

According to Rob Fisher, Principal at the high school, the mural is an honest representation of the residential school tragedy, but focuses on the positive message that we are all treaty people.

 

Fisher said the mural was a gift to the school from the Grad classes of 2015 through to 2019.