Cyclist riding 3,000 km to pay homage to the children who lived and died in Saskatchewan’s residential schools
20-year-old B’yauling Toni will visit the 20 sites of residential schools in the province
Photo by:
Instagram/B’yauling Toni
20-year-old Saskatoon cyclist B’yauling Toni has set out on a ride that will cover more than 3,000 km around his province of Saskatchewan. Throughout August, the young rider is visiting the sites of 20 residential school locations in the province and raising funds for the Orange Shirt Society.
Moccasins For Remembrance
Toni is delivering pairs of moccasins, made by youth in Saskatoon through Chokecherry Studios (a local art non-profit), to every residential school location in Saskatchewan.
Donations, says Toni, help the Orange Shirt Society raise awareness across Canada about Residential Schools and their continuing impacts on individuals, families, and communities, and to promote the concept of ‘Every Child Matters’.
His solo and unsupported ride started on Aug. 2, from Saskatoon. Through his experience, he hopes to celebrate Indigenous Peoples and cultures in Saskatchewan and to build and strengthen relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. “As I visit Indigenous communities across Saskatchewan, I will have the opportunity to meet and listen to community members from different nations and celebrate their culture, knowledge, and histories,” says Toni.
In delivering the mocassins, he aims to “spread awareness of the atrocities committed on children in the residential school system.”
The ride so far
Toni isn’t new to long-distance rides. From 2018 to 2019, he rode 30,804 km through 16 countries, circumnavigating the globe and becoming the youngest person to bike around the world unsupported.
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Every day of his ride so far he has posted on his Instagram, summarizing his experiences, writing about the Indigenous nations he rides through and talking about the residential schools he visits.
“As a non-indigenous Canadian, I feel it is my personal responsibility to provide restitution and strive towards reconciliation with Indigenous people in Canada,” says Toni.”I believe we all have a role to play and for me my personal platform is cycling.”
Ride timeline
Aug. 2 Punnichy – Gordon’s IRS
Aug. 3 Lestock – Muscowequan IRS
Aug. 4 Regina – Regina Indian Industrial School
Aug. 5 Lebret IRS
Aug. 6 Balcarres – file hills IRS
Aug. 7 Grayson – Marleval/Cowessess IRS
Aug. 8 White wood – Round lake IRS
Aug. 9 Kamsack – Cote Improved Federal Day School
Aug. 9 Kamsack – Crowstand IRS
Aug. 9 Kamsack – Fort Pelly IRS/ St. Philip’s IRS
Aug. 11 Sturgeon Landing-Guy IRS
Aug. 13 Lac La Rong IRS
Aug. 15 Beauval IRS
Aug. 16 Ile-a-la-crosse IRS
Aug. 18 Onion Lake – St. Anthony’s IRS
Aug. 18 Onion Lake – St. Barnabas IRS
Aug. 20 Delmas – Thunderchild IRS
Aug. 21 Battleford IRS
Aug. 22 Prince Albert IRS
Aug. 25 Duck lake – Saint Michaels IRS
