4 minute read
Raising awareness and lifting spirits
Raising Awareness and Lifting Spirits: The MMIWG2S Memorial Walk
BY EMMA LEVEZ-LAROCQUE
RED DRESS DAY MARCH
When: Sunday, May 5, starting at 1:15 pm at tiskwat. Ceremony at Willingdon Beach at 2 pm.
What: Annual march for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited people. Wear red.
Learn more: qathetsafe.ca
According to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability, in Canada every six days one woman is murdered by her partner. As cited by Reclaiming Power and Place – National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls, Indigenous women are five times more likely than other women of the same age to die because of violence.
Raising awareness of these sobering statistics is one of the primary goals of the annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Children, and Two Spirit (MMIWG2S) Memorial Walk, coming up on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
“As an Indigenous person, I see it is important to recognize how Indigenous women have been impacted, locally and around the world,” says Cyndi Pallen, one of the event organizers.
A Time to Gather
The purpose of the event is to bring light to these dark times for women and lift the spirits of those who have experienced the loss of a loved one, Cyndi says. It’s about creating a collective space where people can be together and “be a voice for those who did not have a voice.”
“We are fortunate that in this community there is some safety for Indigenous people compared to other communities,” she continues. “But it is important to point out that vulnerable people of all genders are targeted in all communities.”
Ann Kurtz is Executive Director of qathet SAFE, the organization partnering with Tla’amin Nation to put on the event. “People need to be aware that the violence still continues today. Indigenous women, girls, and two spirited people are still being murdered and go missing, and the response continues to be non-existent or inadequate.”
A Community Concern
It is key for community members, including businesses, to get involved in events like this one because it’s an opportunity for others to make a positive change in the community, Ann says.
“It’s a way to say, ‘Let’s do things differently. Let’s make our community a kinder place to live.’”
A funding contribution that First Credit Union (FCU) will be making to qathet SAFE over the coming 3-year period will be dedicated to Indigenous-led community events and programs, such as the MMIWG2S Memorial Walk, which has been held annually since 2019.
FCU Impact Manager Caitlin Bryant says supporting events like the MMIWG2S walk is an important way for FCU to help empower Indigenous voices and shed light on tough social issues.
“As members of this community we are grateful that qathet SAFE is creating opportunities for belonging and healing together in community. The positive ripple effect that results has a long reach,” she says.
The Meaning of Red
All community members are invited to attend the Memorial Walk. Participants will meet in tiskwat at 1:15 pm, walk along Willingdon Trail and gather for a ceremony at Willingdon Beach at 2 pm. Walkers are also asked to wear red.
“In the cultural practices and teachings of Indigenous people, red symbolizes seeing the spirit and it represents bringing light to those dark places,” Cyndi explains.
At a MMIWG2S event, wearing red and bringing a poster encourages everyone to be part of the process, not just a bystander, Ann says.
“MMIWG2S is a very sensitive area,” Cyndi says. “It is important that the event is led by Indigenous people and supported by allies. This is reconciliation—making the intergenerational trauma visible. It is great that we can raise awareness through qathet SAFE.”
