Medicine Hat event honours missing and murdered Indigenous women

“It’s very impactful to see the red dresses hung up in Kin Coulee, and to think what that represents. That represents somebody’s relative that isn’t with us anymore or somebody who’s missing,” said Carol Syrette, the centre’s youth program manager.

She says violence against Indigenous women is an issue that’s all too prevalent in society, and says she learned about her own tragic family history after being raised in foster care.

“When I reached out to my biological family, I found out that my own grandmother was murdered by her partner so I didn’t know that growing up.”

Roughly 80 people turned out for the Red Dress event in Medicine Hat, among them an Indigenous woman who says a relative was murdered in B.C. just recently.

But she adds an event like Red Dress Day offers some opportunity for healing.

“All our sisters who are gone are here, I believe that… in acknowledgment of our remembrance,” Marcia Nazil said.

But healing and awareness aren’t the only goals behind the event.

“Another aspect of this is to empower the next generations so we can speak up against racism and gender-based violence,” Syrette said.

Federal funding for events honouring the loss of Indigenous women was recommended by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women.

But Syrette says far more needs to be done, and can be done on an individual basis.

“If anyone wants to get involved they can look up what the Red Dress Project is. They can read the national inquiry, and just become educated, and just have conversations about it and support each other.”

Nazil added, “our women need to be protected and they need to be heard.”

by Darren Rathwell

Medicine Hat event honours missing and murdered Indigenous women

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