Posted Sept. 21, 2021 - Residential school survivors and supporters from Fox Lake Cree and York Factory First Nation began a walk on Sept. 18 from York Landing to the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg.
The Opimotewak (In Cree, “they walk”) are walking to commemorate the 250 unmarked graves and other remains of children found at former residential school sites across Canada this summer. Organizer Sophie Lockhart is a band councillor from Fox Lake Cree Nation. She said she was emotionally wrought by the discoveries and couldn’t sleep. “I decided I had to do something,” she said. “We gathered at our work place and formed a committee and from there we came up with a plan for the march. Tonight, we will stay at Grand Rapids and then drive back to Pontoon to resume our walk from there.”
The group plans to arrive in Winnipeg on Sept. 30, when Canadians will observe, for the first time, a federal statutory holiday called the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.