By Kathy Gallant

Man walking from Saskatoon to Waterhen F.N. on ‘healing journey’

Aug 7, 2018 | 12:00 PM

Chris Martell is walking home, but it isn’t just a stroll down the block.

Martell, who is originally from Waterhen Lake First Nation, has been busy holding a Healing Camp for Justice in Saskatoon this summer. As a means to raise funds for a healing trip to Ontario next week, and to raise awareness for issues in the foster care system, he started the nearly-500-kilometre trek by foot Sat., Aug 4. The trip is expected to take six days, and he will arrive to spend three days at Waterhen’s annual powwow with his 120-pound teepee, which he is pulling during the entire walk.

In 2010, his son Evander Lee drowned while in a foster home, and this is not the first time he’s walked hundreds of kilometres in Lee’s memory. In 2015, he walked to Sturgeon Lake First Nation to receive an apology from then-Justice Minister Donna Harpauer for his son’s death. He’s also walked from Saskatoon to Regina twice, once without stopping.

“I just thought walking to my home reserve would help me on my healing journey,” Martell said.

Stormy weather was expected on the journey’s first few days, which Martell said was fitting as his son’s Indigenous name was Morning Thunder.

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“I look forward to walking in the thunder and rain,” Martell said. “My goal from the start was to make sure what happened to me to never happens again. There should be things in place to give the families trauma help. There are changes now, and I’m grateful for that, but something like this should never happen again to any family in foster care.”

Martell said his personal goal is to be able to move on and move forward. He said the healing trip to Ontario next week will give him a chance to meet with a medicine woman.

“In our culture, if you die tragically you’re stuck there, so I wanted to release my son’s soul,” Martel said. “I will also do four days of fasting [and] a chest pierce, offering up my flesh. I’ll be there for two weeks. It will be an overwhelming experience.”

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath