Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Memorial and March

Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people are at a significantly higher risk of becoming a victim of violent crime than other people in Canada. In Canada, thousands of Indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing over the years. In BC, this violence includes the horrific Pickton farm murders and Highway of Tears, which is the Highway 16 corridor between Prince George and Prince Rupert, where a disproportionately high number of Indigenous women have gone missing or were murdered.

People marching down the Fraser Highway One Way. Select the image to enlarge.

A lack of action by governments and the justice system has led to increasingly urgent calls for change. Jaime Black, who is a Métis artist, started the REDress Project in 2010 as a response to this crisis and to raise visibility. According to Black, the colour red is the only colour that spirits see. “So (red) is really a calling back of the spirits of these women and allowing them a chance to be among us and have their voices heard through their family members and community.”

Red dresses hanging in various locations are a symbol of the movement. You may have seen these red dresses throughout Downtown Langley City over the last week.

I, among other people, was called to be a witness for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Memorial and March, which took place in Downtown Langley City on Tuesday this week. A witness’s role is to hold onto knowledge of significance, carry the burden of that knowledge, and pass on the knowledge.

The memorial started with drumming, song, and ceremony. We heard from survivors of violence and family members who have lost sisters, aunts, and nieces. We then march along Douglas Crescent and Fraser Highway. We finally heard teaching from Elders of Kwantlen First Nation.

For those of us in government, we were challenged to take action as this violence still continues to this day, and to continue to bring visibility to this crisis.