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Musical re-telling of Charlie Wenjack

On the 50th anniversary of Charlie Wenjack's death, hundreds of people came out to watch Gord Downie's musical re-telling on the big screen.
MikeDownie

THUNDER BAY -- The story of Charlie Wenjack is gaining international exposure, thanks to the new project from Tragically Hip frontman, Gord Downie.

The 12-year-old aboriginal boy died in 1966, after trying to escape from a Kenora residential school to walk home.

His story was on the big screen Sunday night at the Community Auditorium.

Downie's new album is called Secret Path, and comes with an animated film adaptation.

It's a musical re-telling of Charlie's story and his escape from the Cecilia Jeffery Indian Residential School. 

Charlie's sister Pearl Achneepineskum, and Downie's brother Mike, the producer of the film, were in the city for the screening.

Achneepineskum had a message for those children who passed away.

“I know there’s many,” she said. “I hope we’ve honoured them by doing this, and that we see other children happy in their homes.”

Hundreds of people came out to watch the film at the Auditorium on the 50th anniversary of the tragic incident.

Downie said the story is universal.

“It’s a 12-year-old boy, Ojibwe in Charlie’s case but it could be anybody,” Downie said. “I mean when I first came upon this story my son, Will, was 12-years-old. A (young) boy walking home late October in Northern Ontario there’s something wrong with that.”

He believes the story overall draws people in, because it’s a shot straight to the heart.

Downie said he hopes it brings out the best from our country.

(TBT News)





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