Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund Marks 10 Years of Secret Path with Music, Education, and ReconciliACTION

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, October 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund Marks 10 Years of Secret Path with Music, Education, and ReconciliACTION Throughout Canada
Indigenous artists reimagine songs from Gord Downie's Secret Path, alongside a 10th anniversary concert and opportunities to "Do Something" to move reconciliation forward

Ten years after Gord Downie’s Secret Path brought Chanie Wenjack's story to people throughout Canada, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF) is marking the milestone with music, education and opportunities to “Do Something” to move reconciliation forward.

Inspired by Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy who died while trying to return home, 600 km away, after running away from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in 1966, Secret Path was released as a ten-song album and graphic novel by Gord Downie and artist Jeff Lemire and was later adapted into an animated film. A decade later, it continues to inspire reflection and action and spark conversations about Indigenous history and the ongoing impacts of residential schools.

"Chanie's story is the heart of Secret Path, but his experience also reflects that of the over 150,000 Indigenous children who were taken from their families and communities and sent to residential schools," said Harriet Visitor, DWF founding board member and niece of the late Chanie Wenjack. "We hope this anniversary inspires people to honour Chanie by sharing his story and learning the truth of that history.”

From Secret Path Week, October 17–22, to the Secret Path 10th Anniversary Concert on October 23, DWF is inviting people throughout Canada to engage with Secret Path, honour the legacies of Chanie Wenjack and Gord Downie, and “Do Something” to move reconciliation forward.

Indigenous artists reimagine Secret Path
As part of the anniversary, DWF has brought new Indigenous perspectives to Secret Path through an exclusive collection of cover songs. Artists including Amanda Rheaume, Aysanabee and Drives The Common Man have reinterpreted songs from Secret Path through their own experiences, perspectives, and musical styles.

On October 18, Gord Downie’s originals will also be released on DWF’s Youtube channel as videos paired with original illustrations from the Secret Path animation, offering audiences a new way to experience the music and revisit Chanie’s story.

Listen to the cover songs here.

Secret Path 10th Anniversary Concert
The anniversary celebrations will culminate on October 23 with the Secret Path 10th Anniversary Concert at The Concert Hall in Toronto, featuring Indigenous artists 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. Artists will perform songs from Secret Path, original music, and covers of The Tragically Hip.

The event will also feature an Indigenous vendor marketplace and exclusive DWF merchandise, with proceeds supporting DWF’s programs and initiatives.

Tickets are available here.

Secret Path in classrooms throughout Canada
Throughout the year, DWF supports teachers and students in learning about the history of residential schools and the richness, strength, and diversity of Indigenous cultures, with Secret Path and Chanie's story as a starting point.

This school year alone, more than 250,000 students from early learning to post-secondary will have access to reconciliation-focused resources, including Secret Path multimedia. More than 10,000 educators from 7,000+ schools will receive free resources supporting the teaching of Indigenous histories, perspectives, and rights.

In honour of this milestone, DWF has developed a Secret Path 10th Anniversary Educator Guide to support teachers in continuing to bring Secret Path into their classrooms. It features a raven teaching and lesson plan, weaving Anishinaabe knowledge into this year’s resources and deepening understanding of the raven symbol used to highlight the 10th anniversary.

Teachers and students can access DWF's educational resources through DWF's Legacy Schools program.

Beyond the anniversary: "Do Something"
DWF is inviting people throughout Canada to carry the momentum of the anniversary forward and "Do Something" to move reconciliation forward in their everyday lives, whether by hosting a Secret Path screening, using reconciliation-focused resources, joining or organizing a Walk for Wenjack, attending a DWF event, or supporting DWF’s work through a donation.

“Ten years later, Chanie’s story has reached people and communities across the country and helped inspire more than three million meaningful actions that move reconciliation forward,” said Mike Downie, DWF founding board member and brother of Gord Downie. “The commitment behind Secret Path continues. This anniversary is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on its impact and find our own way to "Do Something" to move reconciliation forward.”

For more information about the Secret Path 10th Anniversary and how to get involved, visit downiewenjack.ca/sp10.

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About Secret Path
Secret Path is a ten-song album by Gord Downie and a graphic novel by Jeff Lemire, later adapted into the animated film Secret Path. Through music, poetry, and visual storytelling, the project shares the story of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy who died while trying to return home after fleeing Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in 1966. For the past decade, Secret Path has encouraged audiences to learn about the history and ongoing impacts of residential schools, while inspiring reflection, learning, and reconciliACTION.

About the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF)
Inspired by Chanie’s story and Gord’s call to build a better Canada, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF) aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Our goal is to improve the lives of Indigenous people by building awareness, education, and connections between all peoples in Canada.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Melanie Richard
Account Director, Zeno Group
Melanie.Richard@zenogroup.com

Melanie Richard
Zeno Group
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