Gord Downie's The Secret Path

Gord Downie - Lead Singer of the Canadian Band “The Tragically Hip” — felt connected to Charles Wenjack’s story. Even as he battles terminal brain cancer he says telling this boys story is “what I want to do.” Between the early 1880's and 1996, over 150,000 Indigenous children were systematically taken from their families. They were sent away to residential schools run by church organizations and funded by the Canadian government. Their children were forbidden to speak their language and practise their culture - they were forced to assimilate into "white Canada"

This is the story of 12-year old Chanie Wenjack. In 1966, he ran away from Cecilia Jefferey Indian Residential School in Kenora, Ontario, and tried to walk home to Ogoki Post - 600 kilometres away Chapters/Songs

1) Swing Set

2) Seven Matches

3) I Will Not Be Struck

4) Son

5) The Secret Path

6) Don’t Let This Touch You

7) Haunt Them, Haunt Them, Haunt Them

8) The Only Place To Be

9) Here, Here and Here

Quick Facts: - Was sent to Residential School at 9 years old - 9 other children ran away the same day. All but Charlie were caught within 24 hours - He made it 60km from the school - His birth name was “Chanie” but Charlie stuck after a teacher mispronounced his name -Charlie died of starvation and exposure - All proceeds of “The Secret Path” to the Gord Downie Truth and Reconciliation

- The temperature went down to between -1 and -7°C. With only a cotton windbreaker and no food, Wenjack covered 19 km on foot. When he was found, his body was bruised from repeated falls.

- Charles Wenjack - 19/01/54 - 22/10/66