The raven is a part of Chanie’s story, guiding him to the spirit world when he did not make it home. In the Seven Grandfather Teachings, the Raven also represents honesty and is a reminder to live with integrity. We chose the raven as the symbol of Secret Path’s 10th anniversary to honour Chanie’s memory and the responsibility we share to carry this work forward.
The foregoing is a statement from the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund website, from the page celebrating the tenth anniversary of “The Secret Path.” This multimedia package — an animated feature-length video, a collection of Gord Downie songs, and a darkly drawn graphic novel — purports to tell the true story of how 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack died while running away from an Indian residential school after allegedly being abused by a priest.
