Eng 1

Nathan Eng

Ms. Morley

ENG 3U

July 25, 2019

Identify His Secret Path

Chanie Wenjack’s story of the residential schools is truly filled with great sorrow. The

Secret Path ​details Chanie’s journey through songs and an animated film. This miserable journey

from escaping to his memories of the residential schools is filled with terrible experiences. The

graphic novel film, ​Secret Path ​by Gord Downie, demonstrates how identity is tough to forcibly

change. This animated film illustrates his memories throughout the journey which display his

time in the residential schools and how he only thinks of his Indigenous culture. However, the

lyrics to the songs connected to this film, contain a deeper meaning as it details how he refuses to

conform to white culture.

The film displays Chanie’s memories and his desire to keep his Indigenous identity.

Nearing the beginning of this film, he remembers how he only thought of his happy Indigenous

life with his family when in the miserable residential schools (6:00 - 9:00). This memory

displays that despite the residential school’s efforts to force kids to conform to a white identity,

Chanie only thinks of keeping his Indigenous identity because of the happy memories connected

to it. His terrible time at the residential schools is also displayed as he fears the teachers there. As

Chanie continues further on his journey, he remembers the time when he hid behind his blanket

in bed from a man with a holy cross in a dark scene (30:25). He then thinks of his smiling father
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with very bright colours surrounding him (31:40). These moments of comparison display how

Chanie rather would think of his father than his time in the residential schools as he associates

the school with darkness and unhappiness compared. His father represents his Indigenous

identity and his desire to keep is as he associates it with light and happiness; a feeling that he

much rather have.

The film may have significance when displaying Chanie’s journey to keep his Indigenous

culture however, the lyrics contains greater meaning when detailing how he does not want to

conform to white culture. The song ​Son​ describes how his father will be with him the entire time

Chanie “dances”; a metaphor for his determination to get home (20:30 - 24:00). This displays

how Chanie only thinks of his father which represents his Indigenous identity and how it stays

with him throughout his journey. He is determined to keep his identity as it is his only thought.

This determination is seen again through the song ​Don’t Let This Touch You.​ The song details

how he should not let something touch him - the white culture changing his identity - and how he

calls for his father to help him in the end (28:15 - 33:25). ​Don’t Let This Touch You​ displays

Chanie’s resilience as his mind does not want the white culture, that was forced upon him in the

residential schools, to affect his Indigenous identity. He decides to only think of his Indigenous

roots as he calls for his father to help him in his time of need by the end of the song.

The graphic novel film, ​Secret Path​,​ ​truly demonstrates how identity can be tough to be

forced upon a person. The animated film illustrates Chanie’s memories and his desire to keep

this identity. Yet, the music used along this film contains even greater significance as it details

how he does not want to conform to white culture. Chanie’s journey is a truly sorrowful story

and the many messages it sends should never be forgotten through time.