Late January, Mike Downie joined DWF staff in visiting several Legacy Schools; Linwood Public School, Kitchener-Waterloo Vocational & Collegiate Institute (KCI), Waterloo Collegiate Institute (WCI) and Ryerson Public School in Cambridge. Every Legacy School begins the journey to understanding our shared Canadian history from a different place – be it location, age, knowledge – and it was a truly beautiful experience to have the opportunity to visit elementary, middle, and high school students to learn where they are in their journeys.  Conversations were had about the great initiatives students and teachers have been doing, and Mike shared stories about how the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund came to be, the development of Secret Path, and what it means to see the important work being done by students. As Mike stated, “Gord knew we needed to get into schools.”

Linwood, Ontario – a shared David Martin Mennonite community just outside of Toronto – was our first stop. Mr. Piva’s grade 8 class at Linwood Public School greeted Mike Downie with exuberance and kindness that showed how enjoyable learning can be. Students were happy to share the work they’d been doing in understanding the connections between World War II internment camps and residential schools. Mike was treated to a beautiful rendition of the song “The Stranger” from Secret Path, and a few students shared their written responses to the Secret Path graphic novel, showcasing empathy and a desire for change. Students then presented Mike and the Fund with all sorts of handmade gifts, along with stunning wooden artwork which Mr. Piva himself created.

Next, we went to Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute (KCI) where staff and students from Waterloo Collegiate Institute (WCI) joined us for lunch, eager to share all of the amazing things they have been doing. Students and educators went around the round table sharing reconciliACTIONs and personal stories of what reconciliation and this journey meant to them. The dedication to ensure that Indigenous perspectives and knowledge is engrained throughout all curriculum throughout the year was abundantly apparent. The drama teacher at WCI showed us an amazing play her students created, combining Phyllis Webstad and Chanie Wenjack’s residential school stories. During Secret Path Week, the physical education classes beat the collective Walk For Wenjack challenge to walk 600km in honour of Chanie, walking over 1600km. Students in French class are now able to choose Indigenous studies under the french umbrella. And one young student, upon learning about residential schools and the ongoing trauma, was some moved he immediately took action to “Do Something”. He initiated a fundraiser to help a local Indigenous group work for clean water in Six Nations. This same student, once learning of our upcoming visit, took up another collection that he happily presented to Mike for DWF. The stories and energy shared were truly incredible. A huge thank you to Ms. Allinotte for organizing such an amazing group on short notice and providing us with a wonderful lunch.

Our last stop was at Ryerson Public School in Cambridge to visit Ms. Gill’s amazing grade 5 students, who were the primary catalysts for this journey. Her class created art cards in December to celebrate over 40 Indigenous artists, which students then sold the cards and raised $520.00 for the Fund. Students all took turns showing us the incredible learning that was taking place at such a young age. Two students explained the artwork they designed for the classroom door depicting Gord and Chanie. We were also shown a display showcasing the seven grandfather teachings, walls that highlighted teaching about treaties and wampums, a display in which students debated whether they should rename their school after learning who Egerton Ryerson is, and individual displays that showcased important figures in Canada’s Indigenous history. It was truly impressive! We were then treated to the grade 3 class sharing what they were learning about important Indigenous medicines like sage, tobacco, cedar, and sweetgrass.

It was a truly special day. Thank you so much to all of the fantastic teachers that go above and beyond to make education engaging and important, and for preparing our future leaders to be kind and knowledgeable. Mike Downie was incredibly impressed and inspired, his brother would be proud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are happy to be able to provide you all with access to the in-class, interactive sessions that took place at Exploring by The Seat of Your Pants (EBTSOYP) for Secret Path Week. DWF would like to extend a very special thanks to Joe Grabowski at EBTSOYP for hosting all of the sessions and organizing the speakers.

This year for Secret Path Week, EBTSOYP held conversations to inspire Indigenous education and forward reconciliation. They featured live events for classrooms featuring Indigenous scientists, artists and leaders. This was a valuable way to engage Legacy School classes in reconciliation and encourage students and educators to “Do Something“!

On the first day, the initial four events had over 1,200 students join in live on camera – those numbers don’t even take into account the classrooms that viewed the events live on YouTube and the recorded versions afterwards! Thank you all for tuning in!

As Legacy Schools, you can still take advantage of these great sessions by watching the recorded sessions with your class. All speakers are listed below with a link to their session;

Secret Path Events

Mike Downie | Documentary Filmmaker & Co-founder of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
Mike Downie is a multi-award-winning documentary filmmaker and the co-founder of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. One story, in particular, has been life-changing for Mike was Chanie Wenjack, an Ojibway boy who died while running away from his residential school. Downie told the tragic tale to his brother Gord and the two vowed to find a way to share this story with the world. The result was the multi-media project Secret Path that has captured the hearts and minds of Canadians across the country. Mike is a writer, director, and producer of numerous award-winning documentaries including Secret Path, Invasion of the Brain Snatchers, One Ocean, and The Hockey Nomad.

Andrea Jane Reid | Indigenous Scientist and Conservation Biologist
Andrea Reid is an Indigenous fisheries scientist and conservation biologist based in Canada. In January 2021, she will be joining the University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries as an Assistant Professor of Indigenous Fisheries Science. Andrea combines ecological and social science methodologies, adopting an integrative approach to complex fisheries questions. She belongs to the Nisga’a Nation on British Columbia’s North Coast and has significant experience with Indigenous fisheries communities, practices, perspectives and issues in British Columbia as well as around the world (East Africa, Oceania and Southeast Asia).

Angela Miracle Gladue | Dancer and Beadwork Artist
Angela Miracle Gladue aka Lunacee, is a Cree/Greek Mother, Dancer and Beadwork Artist from Frog Lake First Nation, who started cultural dancing (metis & powwow) at age 6 and continued her dance career as a hip hop artist since 2003. She has been invited to perform, teach and speak to countless countries throughout out the world and now tours as one of the lead dancers for A Tribe Called Red. A few of Angela’s major accomplishments include: Choreographing and performing at the 2017 Juno Awards, First Place at the Canadian Hip Hop Championships and World Hip-Hop Championship Bronze Medalist with her crew the FlyGirlz, and recipient of the 2015 Chief David Crowchild Memorial Youth Award for demonstrating outstanding community leadership through hip hop and Powwow dance. She has also opened up for major recording artists such as TLC, Sean Paul, Lil’Kim, Maestro, Grand Master Flash and Busta Rhymes to name a few.

Aaron Yazzie | Mechanical Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
He designs, builds, and tests robotic systems to acquire samples of rocks and soil from other planets so that we can study them for science. He has had roles on the Mars Science Laboratory Rover Mission and the InSight Mars Lander. Currently, he is developing the drill bits that will be used on the Mars 2020 Rover. Aaron is Navajo, originally from a small town near the border of the Navajo Nation.

Chantal Pronteau | Guardian Watchman and Steward
Chantal has been a Kitasoo/Xai’xais Guardian Watchman since 2015. Her jurisdiction encompasses about 1,500 square miles of inlets, which cut through a folding screen of gunpowder-grey mountains speckled with trees, and which provide habitat for bears, seals, and whales. She gets to spend most of her time outdoors in the Great Bear Rainforest—doing everything from compliance monitoring on local waterways to collecting hair samples from grizzly bears in the region. In addition to her work as a Guardian Watchman, she was one of 14 students to graduate from the Stewardship Technicians Training Program, a training initiative co-led by Coastal First Nations and Vancouver Island University. As a Guardian Watchman, Chantal likes to focus on building bridges between people and communities.

Theland Kicknosway | Singer, Drummer and Grass Hoop Dancer
Theland Kicknosway is a strong Indigenous Youth, he is Wolf Clan, Potawatami/Cree Nation, a registered member of Walpole Island -Bkejwanong Territory in Southern Ontario. He is a singer, a grass & hoop dancer, and helps in ceremonies in many places. He is in High School in the Ottawa Region where he is a part of many sports teams. He enjoys offering his gifts of song/dance/voice for all. He is known as the Cree Drummer when he sang and hand drummed an honor song for the incoming Prime Minister of Canada and his new cabinet members swearing in ceremony in Nov 2015. He helped drum in the Indian Residential School Survivors In the Ottawa region in 2008 and in the closing of the TRC June 1st, 2015. In spring 2018 he completed his 4th annual run in partnership with Families of Sisters in Spirit-134 km per run- raising awareness to the children left behind of MMIWG2S. In 2018 he became the youngest Indspire Award Recipient under Culture, Heritage & Spirituality of the 25 yr History of the Inspire and Achievement Awards.

Adrian Sutherland | Midnight Shine
Adrian Sutherland is from the Mushkegowuk Cree community of Attawapiskat, situated on the coast of the James Bay in Northern Ontario. He is a singer/songwriter and frontman for the band Midnight Shine, making ‘radio-friendly’ music that draws upon his own personal experiences, while reflecting universal themes like family, home, love and loss. In addition to making contemporary rock music, Sutherland – who is fluent in Cree – is a traditional knowledge keeper. He takes part in ceremonies, participates in spring and fall harvests, sings pow wow, and is a genuine example of someone who lives authentically and pays homage to his culture. He is a father, grandfather, and hard-working husband, proud of who he is, and where he comes from.

Jessica Perritt | Scientist from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization
Jessica is the Sr. Advisor of Indigenous Knowledge at the NWMO and has been instrumental in creating the NWMO’s Indigenous Knowledge policy, upcoming Reconciliation Policy, and liaising with the Council of Elders and Youth. She is member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and a proud Anishnawbekwe (Ojibway women). Her formal education is within western science majoring in Physics and Mathematics and has also received Indigenous education from Elders and knowledge keepers throughout her life. Jessica has brought respect for Indigenous knowledge and worldview to life at the NWMO and her next big project is helping the NWMO take further steps towards its journey in reconciliation, a true example for the rest of Canada.

Micheal Vegh | Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance
Q̓án̓ístisḷa (Michael Vegh) is a Heiltsuk environmental steward. He works at Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance, where he provides technical support for the Marine Planning Partnership, as well as Indigenous Laws coordination. Michael is passionate about working towards greater Indigenous-led management, especially in the form of Indigenous Protected Areas. Michael has also received ministerial appointment to the Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group at the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Michael truly believes that indigenous philosophies and ways of knowing are paramount to finding a more sustainable paradigm in our era of climate change.

Phyllis Webstad | Orange Shirt Day
Every year on September 30th, we wear orange shirts to honour residential school survivors. Orange Shirt Day grew out of Phyllis Webstad’s story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at residential school, told for the first time in May 2013. It has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually. Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come. Phyllis published her first children’s book called “The Orange Shirt Story” which aims to bring communities together.

Mair Greenfield | Rumie Initiative
Mair Greenfield was born and raised in North Bay, Ontario. She is a member of Kebaowek First Nation. Mair has worked alongside Indigenous families and communities for more than a decade in different areas, such as corrections, elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools, Community Service-Learning, mentorship, and volunteer initiatives. Mair began her work with The Rumie Initiative in 2016 and is now the Director of Indigenous Programs. Rumie is a not-for-profit tech start-up with a vision of a world where everyone has access to quality learning. Rumie consists of a small team who build their own software and hardware and also host a no-cost digital learning repository called the LearnCloud which is accessible to anyone. Rumie partners with Indigenous communities and resource creators to reach remote areas and schools that have little to no Internet access or digital learning resources. Rumie supports communities to create custom made digital libraries that they can access completely offline through Rumie technology and suit Indigenous learners and community programs. Mair volunteers with communities on a personal level to support Indigenous language preservation efforts.

Chrisann Hessing | Filmmaker
Chrisann is a documentary filmmaker based in Toronto. She has combined her love of travel and storytelling to produce award-winning short films that have screened around the world. Her work reflects themes of identity and community and generally challenges common perceptions, especially relating to underrepresented groups and minorities. Her most recent film, TURNING TABLES, premiered at Hot Docs in 2018 and won Best Documentary Short at the 43rd American Indian Film Festival.

Brad Baker & Sarah Mazzei | Educator
Brad is a proud member of the Squamish Nation and carries the ancestral name Tsnomot, which he shares with his late grandfather and father. Brad has been an educator for 27 years in the North Vancouver School District. For the last 8 years, his position has been District Principal with the portfolios of Indigenous Education, Careers, and Safe and Caring Schools. Brad was recently selected to the 2017 Governor General of Canada’s Leadership Council. He was 1 of 250 leaders from across Canada that came together to develop strategies on how to move Canada forward in the next 150 years. Brad was the recipient of the Indspire Guiding the Journey National Award for Leadership in Indigenous Education in 2014. One of Brad’s mottos is for all of us to understand “Truth Before Reconciliation” and to “Go Forward With Courage.” We will focus on how  Secret Path can be used as a tool to enhance the learning environment for all learners when it comes to understanding the role of Indian Residential Schools in Canada’s history.

Rena Priest | Writer and Explorer
Rena Priest is a 2019 National Geographic Explorer, a Writer, and a member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation. Her debut book, Patriarchy Blues, garnered a 2018 American Book Award and her most recent collection, Sublime Subliminal, was selected as the finalist for the Floating Bridge Press Chapbook Award. Her current project follows regional efforts to restore health and habitability to the Salish Sea for the benefit of critically endangered Southern Resident Qwel Lhol Mech Ten (Killer Whales) and wild chinook salmon. Priest’s work can be found in literary journals and anthologies including For Love of Orcas, Cosmonauts Avenue, and Collateral Journal.

What is Exploring by The Seat of Your Pants (EBTSOYP)? 
Each month during the school year, EBTSOYP hosts 25+ live video events for classrooms.
They regularly host full-day, week and month events covering themes like oceans, biodiversity, women in science, space exploration, ocean plastics, and climate change.

EBTSOYP sends textbook-sized satellite BGAN units around the world with scientists and explorers so that they can video broadcast into classrooms from the most remote regions of the planet. This gives schools the opportunity to follow and connect with exciting expeditions around the world.

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund’s new Educator Advisory Committee met for the first time using online meeting software to connect members from throughout Canada. The meeting was the first time educators from throughout Canada gathered to discuss the Legacy Schools program and get to know one another. We are excited to have such a strong and dedicated team and look forward to improving the Legacy Schools program with their guidance and support.

The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund Educator Advisory Committee for Legacy Schools consists of members of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and non-Indigenous educators. They will advise on educational resources and program development for Legacy Schools to help ensure that the unique interests, rights and perspectives of Indigenous peoples are recognized and implemented in schools and communities throughout Canada. Members will also help assess and evaluate the impact of Legacy Schools, furthering DWF’s mission to improve the lives of Indigenous people by building awareness, education, and connections between all people in Canada.

Educator Advisory Committee Members for 2019-2021

Pearl Achneepineskum
Anishinaabe First Nation, Chanie Wenjack’s sister, Ontario

Daisy Munroe
Anishinaabe First Nation, Teacher, Chanie Wenjack’s sister, Ontario

Harriet Visitor
Anishinaabe First Nation, Teacher, Chanie Wenjack’s niece, DWF Board Member, Ontario

Victoria Utman
Social Worker/School Counsellor, Souris School K-6, Saskatchewan

Becky Tootoo
Inuk, Teacher, Jonah Amitnaaq Secondary School, Nunavut

Krista Sherman
Dakota Sioux – Standing Buffalo Saskatchewan, Teacher, Winston Knoll Collegiate, Saskatchewan

Sharon Shadow
Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Department of Education, Yukon

Lisa Prinn
Manager, Education & Activation, Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, Ontario

Jon Patry
Assistant Principal, James Short Memorial (Early Development Centre, K-2), Alberta

Jessica Madiratta
Piapot First Nation, Teacher, Kitchener Community School (K-6), Saskatchewan

Jen Karpiuk
Métis, Teacher, Crescent Heights High School, Alberta

Greg Halcrow
Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Director of Education, Cross Lake Education Authority, Manitoba

James Groat
Tuscarora, Consultant Indigenous Education (K-8), District School Board of Niagara, Ontario

Sheila Francis
Mi’kmaq, Director of Education, Pictou Landing First Nation School, Nova Scotia

Kelly Fontaine
Sagkeeng First Nation, Teacher, Sagkeeng Anicinabe High School, Manitoba

Andrea Eby
Teacher, St. Bonaventure School (K-6), Ontario

Corinne Chappell
Lennox Island First Nations, Colonel Gray High School 9-12, Prince Edward Island

Brad Baker
Squamish Nation, District Principal, Indigenous Education, Safe Schools and Careers,
North Vancouver School District K-12, British Columbia

Trina Allinotte
Teacher, Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute 9-12, Ontario

The Educator Advisory Committee for Legacy Schools will advise current and future programs and participate in their development and quality assurance as needed. Committee members will also assist in identifying resources, including guest speakers, field placement, partnerships and various opportunities to further Legacy Schools programming.

Educator Advisory Committee members are ambassadors and liaisons between DWF, schools, students, educators and the community.

We are currently still seeking members from Nunavut, Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Newfoundland. If you are from these regions you can apply here.

Appointment to the Committee is one two-year term, and when applicable, a second term may be added. Meetings will typically be held virtually two or three times per year.

Our friends at Learning Bird have created a series of free resources based on Secret Path, which tells the story of Chanie Wenjack’s flight from residential school. In honour of the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages 2019, the resources that they have created position Chanie Wenjack’s story as an opportunity to explore the topic of Indigenous languages and how they relate to Indigenous rights on a local, regional, national, and global scale.

As students complete the activities in this kit, learners will develop literacy, research, communication, and empathy skills as they learn about a variety of Indigenous languages and revitalization efforts and share what they learn with others in their communities. This kit is best suited for high school Indigenous studies, geography, English language arts, and social studies classes.  Click here to find out more and to access the resources.

Is your school still planning a Walk for Wenjack? Finding a Secret Path: Mapping Activity is a great activity to do with your students before doing your walk to better understand how Chanie would have felt as he was planning his route home. During the activity, students learn that Chanie Wenjack would have had difficulty reading the English map that he took with him on his journey away from the residential school in Kenora, ON, and asked: “how do you think he felt?”. Complete your own mapping activity in class to reflect and discuss how language and language loss can affect how we find our place in the world.

Updated resources for our Legacy Schools are available online at legacyschools.ca/resources.