Eagle Lake Councillor and Dryden Working Circle member Lloyd Napish and Patricia Ballantyne
A nearly 3,000 kilometre walk of healing and hope.
Patricia Ballantyne is on a journey from her hometown in northern Saskatchewan to Ottawa to raise awareness about life at residential schools and visit former school sites.
The Walk of Sorrow started on June 5 at the site of the former Prince Albert Indian Residential School.
Ballantyne had been a student at the school from 1978 to 1987.
Ballantyne and a group of other walkers, including a handful from Eagle Lake First Nation, stopped in Dryden Wednesday in front of a supportive crowd on Highway 17.
She says apart from healing, the journey is also an opportunity for walkers to learn more about the history of the residential school system in communities across Canada.
“The younger youth we have with us, their walking for their parents and their grandparents, and their learning, and they want to learn more about residential schools. So, we talk to them, and we guide them on how to deal with their emotions and the pain that they feel for their families.”
Ballantyne adds, “It’s been quite an eye-opening experience for our youth that have come with us and it’s amazing to see that they just soak in all that traditional knowledge that the Elders are teaching us along the way and the different ceremonies.
She stresses the peaceful walk shows that they don’t need violence to get their voices heard.
“We are here to heal, not hurt more, and I try to make them understand that is what they want us to see, that is what they want the world to see, is us being so angry and violent so they can portray us as being angry and violent native people.”
Ballantyne says, “Put out there that we’re not angry, violent people. We are loving, caring, compassionate people that we just have to put out there and just remember that part of healing is letting go of that anger and hate.”
She says her message is remain calm and don’t bring violence to their group.
More and more people have been joining Ballantyne throughout the walk and she notes the support has been inspiring.
During her stop in Dryden, several people approached her group to make donations or offer support.
A certificate of appreciation from Mayor Greg Wilson was presented to Patricia Ballantyne and members of the Working Circle and Dryden Area Anti Racism Network made presentations.
A large donation was also made to Ballantyne from members of DAARN.
She hopes to reach the nation’s capital at the end of July.
To hear more about the Walk of Sorrow, visit the Audio link below:
