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Secret Path is a ten song digital download album by Gord Downie with a graphic novel by illustrator Jeff Lemire that tells the story of Chanie "Charlie" Wenjack, a twelve-year-old boy who died in flight from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School fifty years ago. Chanie, misnamed Charlie by his teachers, was a young boy who died on October 22, 1966, walking the railroad tracks, trying to escape from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School to return home. Chanie's home was 400 miles away. He didn't know that. He didn't know where it was, nor how to find it, but, like so many kids--more than anyone will be able to imagine--he tried. Chanie's story is Canada's story. We are not the country we thought we were. History will be re-written. We are all accountable. Secret Path acknowledges a dark part of Canada's history--the long suppressed mistreatment of Indigenous children and families by the residential school system--with the hope of starting our country on a road to reconciliation. Every year as we remember Chanie Wenjack, the hope for Secret Path is that it educates all Canadians young and old on this omitted part of our history, urging our entire nation to play an active role in the preservation of Indigenous lives and culture in Canada. The next hundred years are going to be painful as we come to know Chanie Wenjack and thousands like him--as we find out about ourselves, about all of us--but only when we do can we truly call ourselves, "Canada." Proceeds from Secret Path will be donated to The Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation via The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at The University of Manitoba.… (more)
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The story of twelve year old Chanie Wenjack is a small part of the story that will haunt Canada for generations. The practise of taking young aboriginals away from their families and placing them in residential schools left these children helpless and defenceless against the very caretakers that were supposed to be looking after them. Chanie ran away from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in Kenora, Ontario and tried to find his way home. Having no idea that his home was 400 miles away, he set out upon the railroad tracks and all too soon, cold, hungry and lost he fell by the wayside.
I was moved to tears by this vivid telling of just one small story of heartache, loneliness and abuse. Between the lyrics and the artwork, Chanie’s story unfolds beautifully. The importance here is the personal connection one gets from reading this account. Putting a name and face to this news story makes it all the more gut-wrenching. Highly recommended.
Chanie died on October 22, 1966 after running away from the Residential School near Kenora to find his father.
The album-sized graphic novel when paired with the album is a moving experience. Listen to the album while reading the poem and leafing through the pages and Chanie's short life comes alive.
To dive deeper into the story of Chanie, read Lee Water's article in the First Nations Drum and watch the two hour CBC special on YouTube.
The illustrations are perfect. The cartoonist is Jeff Lemire, a Canadian as well, and one of my favourites. The drawings are sketchy,
The songs lyrics at intervals throughout the novel written by Gord Downie are simple and meaningful. I loved listening to the cd and reading the lyrics at the same time. The way that he sings them is much more like poems accompanied by music than songs themselves as they aren't particularly catchy or singable... but they're perfect for the book.
This is a book I would keep on my shelf, and one that I would recommend to others. Five stars!
PS If you are captivated by the story behind this book, you should probably read the novel Porcupines and China Dolls by Robert Alexie; it's intensely raw, but an incredible read.
This book is quiet and understated,