MMIWG honoured at Sisters in Spirit event at Town Beach

Tim Brody - Editor

Sioux Lookout and area residents came together on Oct. 4 at Farlinger Park (Town Beach) to honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).
Pictures and stories of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, each accompanied by a softly glowing lantern, encircled the park.
The event was hosted by Sioux Lookout’s Violence Action and Awareness Committee (VAAC).
The Nishnawbe-Gamik Friendship Centre is a member of the VAAC Committee. Executive Director Ashely Edwards shared during the Oct. 4 event, “We gather to honour the Sisters in Spirit initiative. It’s a crucial movement that highlights the tragic and ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada. From 2005 to 2016 research done by the Native Women’s Association of Canada suggests that nearly 4000 Indigenous women and girls have been reported missing, along with over 600 missing boys. Each of these numbers represents a life filled with potential, dreams and stories, cut short far too soon. The Sisters in Spirit initiative aims to raise awareness, advocate for justice, and support families.”
She added, “It is a call to action for all of us to ensure that these individuals are not forgotten and to demand accountability and systematic change.”
Edwards encouraged visitors to, “Take the time to walk around and honour each woman, say their name out loud, and remember them.”
The Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) is also a member of the VAAC Committee.
ONWA shared in a news release, “The first Sisters in Spirit vigil was held on October 4, 2006, in Ottawa, Ontario. The movement has since grown from a small vigil on Parliament Hill to various styles of events held across the country and around the globe. The Sisters in Spirit Vigil continues to be a beacon of hope, remembrance, and advocacy, standing strong in the face of continued injustices. We come together to honour those we have lost, as well as the families and communities still impacted by these tragedies.”