A young woman on a journey of healing and raising awareness concerning indigenous people and residential schools made a stop in Swift Current this week.

Shayna Taypotat is walking from the Kahkewistahaw reserve located 200 km east of Regina to Kamloops Residential School.

Taypotat says the news regarding the residential school findings has affected her personally.

"Finding all the remains was very tragic for me to hear. Knowing that my dad is a residential school survivor, I can't help thinking if he was one of them, I wouldn't be here right now. So it's really heavy on me."

Taypotat says she always knew that she wanted to walk for a cause but had no idea what for or when. She says her biggest inspiration is her aunt who walked from their reservation to Vancouver to raise awareness for a rare type of cancer that her brother was diagnosed with. 

Although she has not felt much physical strain through her walk so far, Taypotat says emotionally the journey has been very draining. She is happy that this is coming to light now finally and says she has had a lot of non-indigenous people come up to her being sad and crying and feeling bad. "I don't want people to feel like it's their fault," says Taypotat. 

Taypotat's journey is also about self-healing and reflects on the message she would like to convey to others.

"I'd like people to take the time to understand indigenous people and to realize, sure we have problems within our communities but there are reasons for that. The residential schools, that shouldn't have happened the treatment there."

Taypotat also points out that she herself is the first generation that did not attend a residential school. 

Taypotat says she wants all indigenous people to know she is praying for them and will continue to do so for the rest of her life.