Landyn’s journey helping to heal scars
Boy’s walk concludes as he arrives home at Annapolis Valley First Nation
CAMBRIDGE, N.S. – “And wee voices were heard. Thanks for bringing us home, Landyn.”
This was one of the many signs that greeted Landyn Toney as his walk across Nova Scotia ended on July 6.
He set out to raise awareness of the history of Canada’s residential schools for Indigenous children, those who died there, his elders who survived and those who are still suffering.
Although visibly exhausted, Toney said his six-day, 157-kilometre Journey of Awareness from the Truro area to his home community, the Annapolis Valley First Nation in Cambridge, was well worth it.
“Just the reaction of the people when I got here, it was awesome,” the 12-year-old said.
He said seeing the outpouring of support for his initiative made him feel very good and emotional. As he pointed out, the more people, the more awareness.
When he heard of more and more graves being discovered at the sites of former residential schools in western Canada, “that just made me mad, so I wanted to show my anger by doing the walk.” He said completing the journey was an emotional release, and he hopes it leads to healing.
“I just wanted to get my word out there,” Toney said. “A lot of people still don’t know about the residential schools, and that’s why I’m doing this walk, to make them notice and to change the world.”
He said he feels what he accomplished was “pretty big”. He now plans to do a similar walk every year starting on Canada Day and hopes to work his way up to eventually walking across Canada.
Toney thanked all of the people who followed him on his Facebook page, Landyn's Journey of Awareness, and who followed him on the walk.
Toney’s mom, Marsha Mcclellan, said it’s great to see her son take on such a meaningful initiative at such a young age. She believes the younger generation has to “step up and use their voices more” because “our older generation is tired.”
Mcclellan said she doesn’t think they realized when they decided to do the walk four days before it began that it would turn out to be as big as it was. She said it’s difficult to put into words how it feels to see the journey generate so much awareness of Canada’s residential schools.
“I think Landyn accomplished what he wanted, and I don’t think he’s stopping any time soon,” Mcclellan said.
AN ‘INSPIRATION’
Lorraine Whitman, of the Glooscap First Nation and president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, was among those on hand to congratulate and thank Toney.
She described Toney as “a warrior” and an inspiration to all Indigenous and First Nations people, both youth and adults. Whitman said Toney journeyed through the heat and rain but kept his heart open and persevered.
She said his journey has shown how love and compassion can go a long way, and that is what the world needs: “more love, more understanding and more respect for each and every one of us.”
“It’s a prime example of how we all should be, whether it be Indigenous, non-Indigenous or what have you,” Whitman said. “This is what it’s about. It’s about us working together. He is an inspiration to all of us.”
She said the outpouring of support for Toney’s journey from the people of Nova Scotia illustrates that Canadians want to know the truth.
“They haven’t been told the truth. The stories have never been taken from an Indigenous lens. Now it is, and this young fellow, he’s educating people, and that’s what the important part is,” Whitman said.
SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER
As of midday July 8, the Landyn’s Journey of Awareness GoFundMe page had raised $39,876, far exceeding the $20,000 goal.
Toney raised the money “to help those in need of a helping hand.” He plans to take letters of recommendation from people to help determine where financial support would be most beneficial and to nominate recipients.