Grand chief’s 120-km walk to counter Canada 150 festivities, honour resilience
WINNIPEG — A Manitoba indigenous leader plans to walk 120 kilometres next month in a decidedly different commemoration of Canada’s 150th birthday.
Derek Nepinak, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, said his Walk to Remember is to celebrate the resilience of indigenous people in the face of what has happened to them since Confederation.
“We don’t have a lot to celebrate when it comes to 150 years of assimilation and genocide and marginalization,” Nepinak said.
“We have more to reflect upon the resilience of our families, the strength of our communities and nations of indigenous people in light of this.”