![]() ![]() First Nations have many, many, many stories like this one. For recognizing our friends who were here before us at least for thousands of years. For seeing we have friends, our fellow countrymen and women who are in big trouble. For recognizing that we are not completely Canada yet. For looking to see what has been bothering you a little bit. For following a sound you’ve been sort of hearing your entire life. The project began as a series of poems which were then fleshed into a ten-song album accompanied by a graphic novel and animated television film. Many of these children tried to flee but never made it home.Ĭhanie’s legacy is one that struck deep with Gord Downie and inspired him to create Secret Path. For decades, Indigenous children were removed from their homes and housed in residential schools, where they were abused and isolated from their families, culture, and religion. Sadly, Chanie Wenjack’s story is not an isolated incident. October 2021 marks 5 years since the release of Secret Path, Gord Downie’s JUNO-winning album and multimedia art project. He was discovered with only a windbreaker for warmth and a jar of half a dozen unused wooden matches. Chanie attempted to travel over 600 kilometres to get home but tragically succumbed to exposure and starvation during his journey. The concept behind Secret Path was introduced to Downie by his brother Mike who shared with him Ian Adams’ Maclean’s article from 1967, “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack.”Ĭhanie Wenjack was a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy from the Marten Falls First Nation who died in 1966 after escaping the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School. The centrepiece of the project, which includes a graphic novel and film illustrated by Jeff Lemire, is Gord Downie’s JUNO award-winning album - the final album released during his lifetime. ![]() Secret Path is a multimedia project created by Gord Downie which tells the heartbreaking story of Chanie Wenjack and the dark history of residential schools in Canada. Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack’s Legacies Remain As Relevant Today As Ever ![]()
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