Chanie Wenjack
Chanie (Charlie) Wenjack (January 19, 1954 - October 23, 1966) was an Ojibwe (Anishinaabe), First Nations boy who escaped from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School he attended in Kenora, Ontario, Canada. His death brought attention to treatment of children in the Canadian Indian residential school system and following Wenjack's death, an inquest into the matter was ordered by the Canadian Government.[1][2]
Early life, education and escape
R Wenjak was born on the Ogoki Post on the Marten Falls Reserve. At the age of nine he was forced, along with his two sisters, to attend the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School school in Kenora. Once there he was given the name Charlie, the name that he is sometimes known by today. The school was overseen by the Women’s Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church and the financing was given by the Canadian Government. At the time 150 students attended the school. Wenjak began his schooling at the age of nine, and was put in remedial classes soon after. He was known to have a good sense of humour according to the principal at the time and was always the first to recognize a pun or riddle.[1][2]
On the morning of October 16, 1966, Wenjak and two school friends, orphaned brothers Ralph and Jackie MacDonald, ran away from the residential school, making it as far as Redditt, 31 km (19 mi) north of Kenora. The three boys stayed with Ralph and Jackie's uncle, Charley Kelly in Redditt. After four days with the Kellys, Wenjak left to follow the Canadian National Railway (CN) mainline, heading towards Ogoki Post, 600 km (370 mi) east and north from Kenora. He'd found a CN passenger timetable which included a map and was using it as guide to get back home. The Kellys gave him some food and matches and suggested that he ask for help from the section maintenance crews stationed along the line.[1][2]
Death
Wenjak had only a light windbreaker and walked for 36 hours in the wind as the temperature dropped to −6 °C (21 °F). He made his way another 20 km (12 mi) east along the CN mainline. Bruises indicated that he fell several times. In a rock cut near Farlane, he collapsed and died sometime on the morning of October 23.[1][2]
His body was discovered beside the track at 11:20 am on October 23 by Elwood McIvor, a CN railway engineer on freight train number No. 821. Elwood contacted the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) who recovered the body an hour later with help from a CN section crew. Coroner Dr. Glenn Davidson determined the cause of the death was attributed to exposure and hunger.[1][2]
On October 27, 1966, Chanie Wenjack was buried at the cemetery on the reserve beside the Albany River.[1][2]
Inquest and aftermath
On November 17 an inquest was begun and a report was commissioned and determined that
The Indian education system causes tremendous emotional & adjustment problems for these children.— Coronor's jury[3]
Ethical questions were raised and it brought to light the abuse and treatment of aboriginal children in the residential school system. A year after Wenjack's death, an article written by journalist Ian Adams “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack”, which was published in February 1967 in Maclean's magazine. The article brought the ordeal to national attention.[2]
The Wenjack affair along with many other incidents would bring legislative reforms and class action lawsuits as well as the Indian Residential School settlement Agreement and the Truth and reconciliation commission.
Impact
Today the story of Chanie Wenjack has been seen as a symbol of resistance against the Residential School System. In 1972 Aboriginal students at Trent University lobbied for a building to be named after Wenjack. However, the theatre was named in Wenjack's honour.
Popular culture
On June 21, 2016, a Heritage Minute was released by Historica Canada to coincide with National Aboriginal Day. Unlike other Heritage Minutes, that were narrated by actors, this one used his sister.[4]
The Tragically Hip singer, Gord Downie has written a concept album based on Wenjak's escape. The album, dubbed Secret Path, was released on October 18, 2016.[5][6]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Chanie Wenjack". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Adams, Ian (February 1, 1967). "The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack". Maclean's. Archived from the original on September 13, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ↑ Truth and Reconciliation Commission, (Canada) (December 9, 2015). "Canada's Residential Schools: The History, Part 2, 1939 to 2000: The Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Volume 1". McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 349. ISBN 978-0773546516. Archived from the original on October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ↑ "New Heritage Minute explores dark history of Indian residential schools". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. June 21, 2016. Archived from the original on October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ↑ Talaga, Tanya. "The flight of Chanie Wenjack, the boy who inspired Gord Downie's new album". Toronto Star. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ↑ "Gord Downie to release solo album, graphic novel next month". CTV News. September 9, 2016. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016.