Robin Edgar Haworth is walking from Penticton to Ottawa with Australian Shepherd dog Koda to raise awareness about a number of “wrongs and injustices” that concern him. He walked down Highway 97 to Osoyoos on Saturday before heading off east up Anarchist Mountain. His campaign is called Right the Wrong. (Richard McGuire photo)
As a proud First Nations man, Robin Edgar Haworth has participated in sweat lodge ceremonies, extended meditation sessions and extended fasts for many years.
It was at the end of a four-day session of “sweats”, meditation and fasting (he didn’t eat any food, but did consume liquids) to begin 2015 that Haworth decided to walk across more than half of Canada to raise awareness about numerous cultural issues he’s concerned with.
Accompanied by his beloved Australian Shepherd named Koda, Howarth began his cross-country trek from Penticton to Ottawa – a journey of more than 5,000 kilometres – on Saturday afternoon.
He passed through Oliver and Osoyoos over the Easter long weekend and will continue his journey through the Kootenay Mountains heading east over the next several months.
“After four days of sweats, meditation and a four-day fast that started on New Year’s Eve, I had this vision that my voice may carry some importance in this world,” said Haworth, who worked in the commercial fishing industry for more than 20 years and has garnered significant attention as an artist and painter over the past three decades.
“I came up with the idea of going on this walk across Canada in the following days and have spent most of my time since then getting ready for this walk. I want to try and make a difference in this world in my own small way.”
Haworth was scheduled to begin his walk a week earlier to mark his 63rd birthday, but the portable buggy he had purchased broke down.
A man from Oregon named Roger Berg read of Haworth’s plight and offered to build him a sturdy cart more than capable of enduring the long trek across Canada. The cart arrived Friday and Haworth was packed and ready to set off on his journey Saturday morning.
By late Saturday afternoon, he had already made it past the Anarchist Mountain summit in Osoyoos.
Haworth said the purpose of his trip was to originally raise awareness and demand a national inquiry on the almost 1,200 missing or murdered aboriginal women reported in Canada over the past 20 years.
However, that has expanded to attempting to draw attention to “30 key societal issues I care deeply about”, including greenhouse gas emissions, extended waiting lists for people seeking medical care and the inadequacy of current minimum wages across Canada.
All of the issues he wants to discuss during pit stops in communities he visits during his journey can be found at facebook.com/rightthewrong2015.
“It may not happen tomorrow, but I strongly believe that the federal government will not have any choice but to eventually hold a national inquiry on missing and murdered aboriginal women,” said Haworth. “Most Canadians want this inquiry and I have no doubt that it will happen in the near future.
“If what I’m doing can help this in any way, then my journey will be worth the effort.”
Howarth is a member of the Tsinshian Nation, Wolf Clan from the Lower Mainland.
Haworth was removed from his family home as a baby and lived in foster care with the same family from the age of six months to age 18.
He was one of only two First Nations students in a high school of 1,600 students and was raised without having any discussion of awareness of his culture.
Because of his difficult childhood, he wanted to travel by himself to get in touch with his First Nations culture and took a long trip to Yellowknife, where he settled with other First Nation people and became aware of his culture.
He then started to travel the world and estimates he’s visited close to 20 countries.
He landed in Penticton 10 years ago and has never wanted to leave.
“In my Okanagan language, Penticton stands for a place you never want to leave,” he said. “I’ve lived in many places, but I do love it here.”
Howarth has lived a modest lifestyle “off the grid” in Penticton since arriving.
His main mode of transportation has always been by foot.
“I love to walk and I’ve walked most of my life during most of my travels,” he said. “I find walking very spiritual and it gives me a lot of time to think about important things.
“I have always wanted to walk across this beautiful country and, even at age 63, I think I’m still in good enough shape to be able to handle it no problem.”
Koda has been his loving companion “from the day he was born more than six years ago” and his beautiful dog loves road trips as much as he does, said Haworth.
“He’s in the prime of his life and in great shape and I have no concerns whatsoever about him being able to handle this journey,” he said.
Paul Crawford, director/curator of the Penticton Art Gallery, is a good friend and has shown Haworth’s artwork on numerous occasions over the past few years.
Crawford has provided Haworth with a cellphone and is selling posters of Haworth’s artwork to help raise money for the trip. The posters are available for purchase at the Penticton Art Gallery and Dragon’s Den art supply shop in Penticton.
If people want to donate cash, Haworth said he will accept only a small portion.
“I will need roughly 20 to 30 dollars a day to feed myself and Koda,” he said. “Any other money I receive will be forwarded to organizations that are committed to fighting for the call for a national inquiry on missing and murdered aboriginal women.”
Corinne Ross, branch manager of the South Okanagan-Similkameen SPCA, has agreed to provide any assistance Koda may need on the journey.
When he reaches Ottawa, Haworth is confident many politicians will be made aware of his journey and will want to meet him.
“It’s my hope that some of these politicians will want to meet with me to discuss some of these important issues,” he said. “My journey is not about negativity, but remaining positive and I hope that my positive attitude will lead to change among our political leaders.”
If he can average 30 to 40 kilometres per day, Haworth expects he and Koda will arrive on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in July or August.
“I don’t really have any date set in my mind … I will get there when I get there,” he said. “If we experience some bad weather, we’ll call those camping days and settle down for the day until the weather improves.
‘I’m 63 years old and I’m in no hurry.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
Robin Edgar Haworth is walking from Penticton to Ottawa with his Australian Shepherd dog Koda to raise awareness about a number of “wrongs and injustices” that concern him. He walked down Highway 97 to Osoyoos on Saturday before heading off east up Anarchist Mountain. His campaign is called Right the Wrong. (Richard McGuire photo)
Robin Edgar Haworth is walking from Penticton to Ottawa with his dog Koda to raise awareness about a number of “wrongs and injustices” that concern him. He walked down Highway 97 to Osoyoos on Saturday before heading off east up Anarchist Mountain. His campaign is called Right the Wrong. (Richard McGuire photo)
