by Britnae Purdy
The seven Cree youth on the Journey of the Nishiyuu from Hudson Bay to Ottawa have gathered support from a world-wide audience, and are inspiring more youth to join them.
The 7 Cree Youth by Brad AJ Georgekish (Twitter: @Brad AJ)
The Facebook page for the Journey of Nishiyuu continues to grow, with nearly 18,000 members. Fans are posting aerial maps tracking the walkers’ progress. Tweeters are sharing updates using the #Nishiyuu hashtag. Teachers are asking for information to share with their students. And perhaps most incredibly, professors, community leaders, and young people themselves are organizing their own walks and hoping to meet up with the original seven walkers along the way. A group of nine are planning to leave from Chisasabi; 11 from the town of Whapmagoostui. A group of youth from Sudbury are seeking more to join them before departing, while a professor from Manawan is planning to lead a group of 50 students on a two and a half week journey.
The Cree youth are expected to arrive in Ottawa by mid-March, though weather conditions make setting an exact arrival date impossible. As of January 28 they had traveled 167km and are expected to reach the Cree community of Chisasabi, Quebec, by January 31, where they will restock their supplies.
Supporters of the walk hope to gather a large crowd to meet them when they arrive in Parliament Hill, Ottawa. Will you be there?!