Grades 7 and 8 pupils within the White Pines Collegiate Grades 7 to 12 student body have been doing a lot of walking leading up to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation activities.
Collectively, the White Pines intermediate student group has walked 300 kilometres in honour of Chanie Wenjack.
Wenjack, an Ojibway boy, attempted to walk the 600 kilometre distance from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in Kenora to his home in Ogoki Post on the Marten Falls Reserve.
He did not survive the walk, dying of hunger and exposure outside Farlane, Ontario.
He was 12 years old.
“We initiated this action after studying the story of Chanie Wenjack. As an intermediate group we sacrificed some morning recesses and lunch periods walking two-and-a half laps every school day around the school’s track for the past six-day period,” said Nancy Neave, White Pines Grade 7 and 8 teacher speaking to SooToday Thursday.
On Thursday, the entire White Pines school community, including Grades 7 through 12 students, teachers and staff, collectively walked two-and-a-half laps around the school’s track - one kilometre - to walk the 600 kilometres Wenjack tried to walk.
“I think we should be doing the walk more often instead of just one day. It should be several days. Little kids were suffering in residential schools all over Canada and they couldn't see their families,” said Grade 8 student Quinton Foster.
“I think that it’s really good that we’re not just talking about it but that we’re actually doing the walk for Wenjack. I think we shouldn’t just be thinking about this in September, that it should be a thing we’re doing all year around,” said Grade 8 student Eila Kuisma, suggesting monthly walks would be appropriate.
“We should be doing this for more than one day. This is a time that we should atone for something. It’s good that we’re doing things but I feel like we need to do more, make up for past mistakes and help one another,” said Grade 8 student Grace Cuthbertson.
“I think it’s really important to join Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples together in order to create positive change and support Indigenous people,” said intermediate teacher Neave, adding that she and the White Pines intermediate classes will continue with their walks every school year.
White Pines student drum group Nimkii Ankwat drummed and sang a walking song in the centre of the school’s football field as the school community proceeded around the track.
As Friday is a PD Day, many Algoma District School Board schools are recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Thursday.
“Our school communities support Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action in Canada, to provide an experiential learning that impacts both students and staff, and to promote allyship within our schools,” the ADSB stated in a release.