(Halifax, NS) – Secret Path is 10 songs that tell the story of Chanie Wenjack (miscalled “Charlie” by his teachers), a 12 year-old boy who died fleeing the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School near Kenora, Ontario, fifty years ago, walking home to the family he was taken from over 400 miles away. Downie was introduced to the story by his brother Mike Downie, who shared with him Ian Adams’ Maclean’s story from February 6, 1967, “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack.”
“Chanie haunts me. His story is Canada’s story. This is about Canada… The next hundred years are going to be painful as we get 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.” – Gord Downie
To read Gord Downie’s full statement on Secret Path from September 9, 2016, go HERE.
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 Chanie Wenjack is remembered, the hope for Secret Path is that it educates all Canadians young and old on this omitted part of the country’s history, urging us all to play an active role in the preservation of Indigenous lives and culture in Canada.
Secret Path is now available in Deluxe (vinyl & book), and Book (with album download) editions, as well as on Download and Streaming services, and can be pre-ordered on CD and standard LP formats (out December 2). The premium LP features the stand-alone vinyl with 10 special lyric posters featuring Gord’s handwritten lyrics and bonus illustrations by graphic novelist Jeff Lemire.
STREAM & DOWNLOAD SECRET PATH NOW
ORDER SECRET PATH LP OR CD
PURCHASE SECRET PATH DELUXE & BOOK EDITIONS FROM GORDDOWNIE.COM AND VIA LOCAL AND ONLINE RETAILERS INCLUDING INDIGO, AMAZON, AND HMV.
Proceeds from the sale of Secret Path will be donated to the Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation via The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at The University of Manitoba. The NCTR is dedicated to preserving the history of residential schools in Canada, making this history known, and moving our country forward on the path of reconciliation. These funds are dedicated to finding missing Indigenous children.
Donations to the NCTR are now being accepted at give.umanitoba.ca/nctr.
Mike and Gord Downie and the family of Chanie Wenjack are also raising money for the newly created Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF). The Fund operates out of the Toronto Foundation and focuses on cross-cultural education to support healing and recovery. It is guided by and will also directly support the NCTR.
The DWF embodies Gord Downie’s commitment to improving the lives of First Peoples. The Fund will foster new relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, creating a pathway to reconciliation.
Donations to the DWF are now being accepted at downiewenjack.ca.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SECRET PATH: secretpath.ca
GORD DOWNIE
