Secret Path Week 2025
Honouring Stories, Languages, and Legacies
Each year, from October 17-22, educators and students across Canada participate in Secret Path Week. This national movement commemorates the legacies of Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack and asks us all to commit to taking meaningful action towards reconciliation.
Indigenous Languages and Secret Path: Resources for High School Educators
At Learning Bird, we believe that one of the most powerful ways to honour this legacy is through language and storytelling. In partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, we developed classroom-ready resources to help educators integrate The Secret Path into their classrooms. These resources emphasize the significance of Indigenous languages in education and learning.
These resources invite learners to:
- Explore the story of Chanie Wenjack through multiple perspectives.
- Understand the role of language in preserving culture and identity.
- Reflect on how stories connect history with present-day realities.
- Engage in discussions about truth, reconciliation, and responsibility.
Explore our Indigenous Languages and Secret Path Resource Kit.
Get Involved in Secret Path Week 2025
Each year, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund invites Canadians to come together during Secret Path Week through a wide range of programs and activities. From concerts and classroom projects to national campaigns, these events create space for reflection, dialogue, and action.
Take ReconciliACTION
ReconciliACTIONs are locally planned events or activities that bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together in the spirit of reconciliation. These actions, whether large or small, spark awareness, encourage learning, and open space for meaningful conversation. Educators and schools are encouraged to share their reconciliACTION with the Downie Wenjack Fund, where some will be highlighted as examples for others to follow.
Participate in the Walk for Wenjack
The Walk for Wenjack is a community-based event that began in 2016. Walks can happen at any time of the year and provide a tangible way for people across Canada to honour Chanie Wenjack’s story while supporting the work of the Fund.
Become a Legacy School
Schools, daycares, and youth groups can also join the Legacy Schools program. This is a free national network that equips educators with resources to teach about both Canada’s colonial history and the richness and resilience of Indigenous cultures. Legacy Schools receive toolkits with lessons, activities, and materials designed to support educators in integrating reconciliation into their classrooms across various subject areas and grade levels.
Together, let’s honour Chanie’s story, Gord’s call to action, and the many Indigenous languages and voices that continue to guide us on the path toward reconciliation.
How are you honouring Secret Path Week 2025? Let us know!
