KEITH BLACK, member of Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation,
Participants in 500-km trek from Sudbury to Ottawa want changes to the Indian Act
That was the first time I cried in at least 20 years. It felt like I released all the pain that these children went through.”
When he arrived on Parliament Hill on Wednesday, Keith Black, a member of the Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation, south of Fort McMurray, Alta., fell to his knees at the Centennial Flame and cried.
“That was the first time I cried in at least 20 years,” he said Friday. “It felt like I released all the pain that these children went through.”
Black was referring, of course, to the children whose bodies have been discovered in recent months in unmarked graves associated with Canada's Indian Residential Schools. A sign among the toys, shoes and children's clothing surrounding the flame provides a daily update, with Friday's tally indicating that 5,409 bodies have been discovered so far at 20 schools. “119 more schools to go!” the sign added.
And, while the group that Black marched with from Sudbury to Ottawa, a roughly 500-kilometre, month-long trek dubbed the Blinding Light Walk-Tiger Lily, is far from accomplishing all its objectives — it's hoped that Sunday's scheduled meeting with Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services, for example, might encourage federal action on further amending the Indian Act of 1876 — Black says he's happy with what has been done so far.
“I did what I had to do, and I feel good. There's still more, but we released the spirits.”
Black, speaking from a teepee erected on Parliament Hill's front lawn, added that the release of the spirits — of both the children and their oppressors — occurred days ago as the group, which numbered about 60 by the time it reached Ottawa, passed through Mattawa. There, Black said, innumerable black clouds formed and lightning struck the three crosses erected on the crest of the Laurentian Mountains, across the Ottawa River, by missionaries in 1686.
“We prayed, and the spirits of the children and those of the priests were released, and we forgave them.
“The next morning,” Black added, “people in Mattawa said they'd never seen a storm like that before.”
According to Black, the Blinding Light Walk resulted from a pair of visions had by Vern Janvier, Chief of the Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation. In the first, which he experienced early in the morning of Canada Day, Janiver saw priests, nuns and Brothers throwing children into open ovens. Following the first vision, Janvier and others walked north to Fort McMurray, a six-day journey, to raise awareness about the children.
The second vision told Janvier to walk 500 kilometres to Ottawa. Sudbury was arbitrarily chosen as the starting point.
According to walk participant Joey Podlubny, the group set out with three objectives. The first was to feel some of the pain experienced by residential school students and survivors. “These children,” he said Friday, “came back for a reason.”
The second purpose was to raise awareness about both the residential schools and the systems governing Canada's Indigenous population today.
“And the third goal is to get enough awareness and support to force the government to look at the Indian Act and make changes.”
Another marcher, Yvon Lachance, an Algonquin Métis from Verner, Ont., between Sudbury and North Bay, crocheted a Seven Grandfather Teachings shawl, with motifs representing truth, honesty, respect, love, bravery, wisdom and humanity, especially for the journey, giving it as a gift to Chief Janvier.
Lachance said he took part in the march “for the future, and to save the children from the darkness.
“They didn't have a proper burial, so I was praying to release them.”
By Friday, many of the Blinding Light Walk participants had left Parliament Hill to return to their homes, while others said they would stay at least until Sunday's meeting with Miller. Still others, including Lachance and Black, indicated they would stay until Chief Janvier told them it was time to leave. And, while none planned to make the return trip by foot, Black said he would do so if it would help.
“If that's what it takes to change this government's mind, I'll do it. I'll run home to Alberta.”