Walk For Wenjack

“It’s going to take us 100 years to figure out what the hell went on up there, but it isn’t cool and everybody knows that. It’s really, really bad, but we’re going to figure it out, you’re going to figure it out.” - Gord Downie.

I have something to share in the hope that it will raise awareness and spur action among you, my friends. This morning I have been handed my first opportunity to “figure it out”, and contribute directly to the message of reconciliation in Canada.

At 10am this morning I became the official documentary photographer for the “Walk For Wenjack”, the brainchild of the Courage For Gord organisation. My heart is full of excitement, but it also aches with the tragedy that defined the last days of little Chanie Wenjack (pictured below). Next Thursday I fly to Winnipeg, and then drive to Kenora. On Friday morning I will stand on the ground where Chanie stood, and then follow the Secret Path.

Inspired by the Secret Path story and Gord Downie's humility, sincerity, and determination to tell the story of all youths from the residential school era who never made it home, members from the Courage For Gord team are now about to embark on not only their most impactful fundraiser but a spiritual journey called #walkforwenjack - our plan is to retrace the Secret Path steps of Chanie Wenjack.

On November 19 and 20, 2016, the walk will commence at the site of the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School (pictured above) in Kenora, ON, and continue to Redditt, ON. We will then travel approx 15km east to Chanie's final resting spot near Farlane, ON for a short ceremony.

I will post further details as they come available, but in the meantime, I encourage you to learn all you can about Chanie Wenjack's story, the Walk for Wenjack, and reconciliation. You can donate to the cause on the website: https://www.courageforgord.org/pages/walk-for-wenjack.

Here is a preview of the documentary I created. It is called “The Weight of Your Heart: A Walk with Chanie Wenjack.”