Walkers head east on highway 3 towards Prince Albert. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Bridging cultures

Unity Walk marks third anniversary

Oct 1, 2024 | 4:41 PM

Wearing orange shirts and carrying drums, a group of people slowly make their way down the highway, as passing motorists honk their horns in support.

The third annual Unity Walk was held over the weekend, starting at Mistawasis First Nation on Sunday and ending at Nordale on Monday. Co-organizer Connie Primeau told paNOW everything went very smooth.

“We are getting more and more support all the time from all over, like we have people joining us off and on,” she said, adding she simply wanted to create an event that brings people together.

In addition to honouring residential school survivors, the walk also raises awareness for missing and murdered men, women and children; the James Smith tragedy; and mothers and fathers against drugs and suicide prevention. And along the way, the group receives donations from a number of local businesses

“When we are done our walk, whatever food and stuff we have left over, we give away to the homeless,” Primeau explained.

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Chigal Badger was walking in honour of her community and her family, and all the people who attended residential schools. She noted her grandmother, a survivor, learned how to care of her home and her children.

“But she wasn’t taught how to love her children so that is still something me and my mom are crossing because of the generational trauma,” she said.

Badger, who noted she went back to school to learn more about the history, and is pursuing a degree in social work, said she shares everything she’s learned with her mother.

“So it’s helping her too knowing she’s not the only one,” Badger said, adding one positive outcome that did come out of her mother’s experience at the residential is the life long friendships she’s made and refers to as family.

“We have family now all over the prairies because of that,” Badger said

Mark Thunderchild, the Sask. NDP candidate for Rosthern-Shellbrook also joined the walk.

“My personal journey is I lost my father in January and my mother last August so this is one of those moments for me just to find some healing and just bridge connections with the people I wanna serve,” he said.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell