A day to honour murdered and missing Indigenous women

Across the country, people are gathering for Red Dress Day events to remember all those who have been lost.

Here in Medicine Hat, red dresses have been hung around the campus ahead of tonight’s walk.

“You know a lot of people are out there they could be missing for years and years and I have a red dress hanging in my tree and have had one for the last six years. It’s out there in winter, spring, summer and fall because that’s what happens to our missing.” says Brenda Mercer, former cultural co-ordinator at the Miywasin Friendship Centre.

“I think bringing awareness to this also creates a place where people can come and ask us questions. I think that’s one thing that maybe they just don’t know,” explains Mercer.

The walk is organized by 55 members of Medicine Hat’s FireKeepers Women’s Society.

Founder Chastity Cairns says Indigenous people in Medicine Hat need more allies to prevent any future tragedies.

“Only now I see our community really trying to implement those calls to actions and providing safe space for Indigenous people to come and get counseling and support. In Medicine Hat we only have two organizations in our community, one that only provides counseling support,” says Cairns.

“When you think of our history of seven generations of our families that attend residential schools and you know 65 per cent of children in the foster care system are Indigenous in Alberta alone. What does that say? We need more support, we need allies, we need more programs, we need people to care. And that’s what this event is about today,” adds Cairns.

by Brendan Miller

A day to honour murdered and missing Indigenous women

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