A haunting story from a shameful era of North America’s history is being brought to life in a variety of mediums thanks to musician and poet Gord Downie. Coming soon as a new album, graphic novel and an animated movie produced for CBC, Secret Path relates the tragedy of indigenous Canadian boy Chanie Wenjack, with proceeds going to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
In a statement issued with the announcement, Gord Downie explains that his brother Mike first showed him Ian Adams’ story in a 1967 issue of Maclean’s magazine, “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack.”
“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 walk 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. I never knew Chanie, but I will always love him,” Downie relates.
“All of those Governments, and all of those Churches, for all of those years, misused themselves. They hurt many children. They broke up many families. They erased entire communities. … I am trying in this small way to help spread what Murray Sinclair said, ‘This is not an aboriginal problem. This is a Canadian problem.’”
Chanie’s story inspired Downie, whose poems were fleshed out into the 10 songs that appear on the Secret Path album. In the winter of 2014, Gord and Mike Downie brought the finished music to award-winning cartoonist Jeff Lemire (Essex County, Lost Dogs). The album will be released by Arts & Crafts, accompanied by Lemire’s 88-page graphic novel, published by Simon & Schuster Canada, on October 18 as a deluxe vinyl and book edition and as a book with album download. (Pre-order from SecretPath.ca)
The music and illustrations have in turn inspired The Secret Path animated film, which will be broadcast on CBC in an hour-long television special on Sunday, October 23 at 9 p.m. ET — marking the 50th anniversary of the morning Chanie’s body was found, frozen.
The Secret Path is produced by eOne and Antica Productions Ltd. in association with CBC. The film is created, written, directed and composed by Gord Downie, with illustrations by Jeff Lemire. It is executive produced by Mike Downie, Patrick Downie, Gord Downie, and Sarah Polley. Jocelyn Hamilton is executive producer for eOne Television and Stuart Coxe is executive producer for Antica Productions. Justin Stephenson is director of animation.
