Downie-Wenjack Fund marks 10 years of Secret Path with concerts, classrooms and new covers

The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund is marking the 10th anniversary of Secret Path with Indigenous cover songs, a Toronto concert on Oct. 23 and expanded classroom resources across Canada. The campaign is aimed at keeping Chanie Wenjack’s story in public view and pushing more people to take action on reconciliation.

Why it matters: - Secret Path has become a national entry point for learning about Chanie Wenjack, residential schools and the ongoing impacts of that history. - The anniversary campaign is designed to turn reflection into action through music, education and public events. - The fund says more than three million meaningful actions have already been inspired by Secret Path over the past decade.

What happened: - The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund is marking 10 years since Secret Path was released. - The anniversary runs through Secret Path Week, Oct. 17–22, and a 10th anniversary concert on Oct. 23 in Toronto. - The campaign includes Indigenous reimaginings of Secret Path songs, new classroom resources and a call for people across Canada to “Do Something” for reconciliation.

The details: - Secret Path began as a ten-song album by Gord Downie and a graphic novel by Jeff Lemire, and was later adapted into an animated film. - The project tells the story of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy who died in 1966 while trying to return home after fleeing Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School. - Harriet Visitor, a DWF founding board member and Wenjack’s niece, said the story reflects the experience of more than 150,000 Indigenous children taken from their families and sent to residential schools. - New cover songs feature Indigenous artists Amanda Rheaume, Aysanabee and Drives The Common Man. - On Oct. 18, Gord Downie’s original songs will be released on DWF’s YouTube channel with original illustrations from the Secret Path animation. - The Oct. 23 concert at The Concert Hall in Toronto will feature Amanda Rheaume, Aysanabee, Drives the Common Man, Julian Taylor, Natasha Fisher, Nimkii and the Niniis, Thea May, Tom Wilson & Thompson Wilson, William Prince and Wolf Saga. - The concert setlist will include Secret Path songs, original music and covers of The Tragically Hip. - The event will also include an Indigenous vendor marketplace and DWF merchandise, with proceeds supporting DWF programs and initiatives. - More than 250,000 students from early learning to post-secondary will have access to reconciliation-focused resources this school year. - More than 10,000 educators from more than 7,000 schools will receive free resources on Indigenous histories, perspectives and rights. - DWF has created a Secret Path 10th Anniversary Educator Guide with a raven teaching and lesson plan that incorporates Anishinaabe knowledge. - The guide is part of DWF’s Legacy Schools program. - The fund’s suggested actions include hosting a Secret Path screening, using reconciliation-focused resources, joining or organizing a Walk for Wenjack, attending a DWF event or making a donation. - Mike Downie, a DWF founding board member and Gord Downie’s brother, said the anniversary is a chance to reflect on Secret Path’s impact and find new ways to “Do Something.”

Between the lines: - The anniversary push expands Secret Path beyond a single work into a year-round education and engagement platform. - Pairing new Indigenous interpretations with classroom materials suggests DWF wants the project to remain relevant for younger audiences and educators. - The strategy also keeps the focus on action, not just commemoration, which fits the fund’s reconciliation mission.

What’s next: - Secret Path Week continues through Oct. 22, followed by the Toronto concert on Oct. 23. - DWF is directing people to downiewenjack.ca/sp10 for more information and ways to get involved. - The fund is asking Canadians to keep using Secret Path as a tool for learning and reconciliation beyond the anniversary year.

The bottom line: - Ten years on, Secret Path is being used not just as a memorial, but as a national call to learn, listen and act.