Special points of interest:
MMIWGs May 5th Poem
TUNGASUVVINGAT INUIT HOLDS 2ND CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR MMIWG2S
Jasmine Delivers Schoolwide National Red Dress Day Presentation
AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak Calls for National Action For MMIWG2S+ on Red Dress Day
TUNGASUVVINGAT INUIT HOLDS 2ND CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR MMIWG2S
May 3, 2024
OTTAWA, ON – On May 3, Tungasuvvingat Inuit (TI) held it's second annual Candlelight Vigil for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit (MMIWG2S). The vigil took place at Annie Pootoogook park in Ottawa, ON, and was open to all to join in and honour, remember, grieve and spread awareness for those we lost or are missing. The ceremony included a drum performance, a song and drum performance and a symbolic lighting of candles
to remember those we've lost. Mikka Komaksiutiksak, Acting Manager of the Family Well-being program at TI and co-coordinator of the event, said about the vigil, "We bring the voices of the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples into the light. We hold space for their families to grieve and we grieve with them." Inuit and non-Inuit community members alike attended the vigil on May 3rd, from 11:30am to 1pm at Annie Pootoogook Park, located at 250 Somerset Street, Ottawa.
The event was coordinated by the Family Well-being
team at TI, which consisted of Mikka Komaksiutiksak, Angela Austria, Aly Schamerhorn and Meaghan Bannerman.
The ceremony included a traditional Inuit drum performance by Timothy Erkloo and a song sung by Mikka with an accompanying drum played by Timothy. Everyone gathered after the performances for a symbolic lighting of flame-less candles and a moment of silence to honour those who we lost or are missing. Community was invited to do an art activity of drawing red hands and writing a message of solidarity. MMIWG2S shirts and pins were handed out to
those who wanted them. The event closed in an uplifting way with a demonstration of Inuit games by Chris Church, who invited the community to join in.
About Tungasuvvingat Inuit It is the Mission of Tungasuvvingat Inuit to broadly provide Inuit-specific programs that contribute to the health and well-being of Inuit and to encourage and support similar programs for Inuit across the country. TI offers 20+ highly integrated, front-line programs and services to urban Inuit in Ontario. Visit online at www.tiontario.ca or follow us on Facebook @TIottawa and Twitter @tiontario.
“I wanted to acknowledge the Missing and Murdered Indigenous peoples... and educate our school that this issue isn’t happening in one particular place; it’s happening all across Canada.
I wanted to take time to honour our ancestors and spread awareness.”
Jasmine Delivers School-wide National Red Dress Day Presentation
This year, National Red Dress Day fell on a Sunday so our school could not attend the local Edmonton rally as we normally do.
To commemorate the day later that week, a Grade 12 student, Jasmine, lead a school-wide presentation about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) in the gym that was attended by about 60 people.
To bring personal context to each province's experiences with the topic, she invited three staff members to assist with her talk.
Russell spoke about Starlight Tours in Saskatchewan, Elder Marjorie spoke about the Highway of Tears in British Columbia, and Mark conducted a smudge to support her in representing Manitoba.
Jasmine said she was drawn to this topic from hearing about it in her classes at Inner City High
School. In her own words she said: “I wanted to acknowledge the Missing and Murdered Indigenous peoples. When I was learning about the issues in Indigenous communities, this topic caught my interest the most.
Growing up I never heard of it, so it made me wonder how much other people knew.
I wanted to educate our school that this issue isn’t happening in one particular place; it’s happening all
across Canada.
I wanted to take some time to honour our ancestors and spread awareness.”
We were very proud of Jasmine. Public speaking is not an easy endeavor and this is a difficult topic, as many in our Edmonton school share personal connections to MMIWG.
She says she would like to do more presentations about this in the larger community.
Jasmine
“Red Dress Day is a reminder of the urgent work needed to ensure safety, justice, and equity for First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals,” said National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak.
“With the upcoming anniversary of the Reclaiming Power and Place:
The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the 231 Calls for Justice on June 3rd, I urge the Government of Canada to take meaningful steps to protect the lives and rights of First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals.”
Budget 2024 included a $1.3 million investment over three years focused on the development of a Regional Red Dress Alert system to notify the public of missing Indigenous women, girls, or 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals.
However, this initiative does not meet the expectations of MMIWG2S+Survivors and their families, who have been advocating for a national alerting system.
Additionally, the budget fails to address the needs outlined by First Nations-in-Assembly in the AFN Pre-Budget Submission, which called for increased wrap-around supports for Survivors and families, and prevention measures.
“The Government of Canada must prioritize implementing prevention measures and addressing root causes of violence to ensure that First Nations do not go missing in the first place,” said National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak.
“Our women, girls, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people deserve a future where their safety and security are upheld.”
“It is essential that these systems are developed with the direct involvement of MMIWG2S+ Survivors and families. Their lived experiences and expertise are fundamental in guiding the policy and the criteria for the alerting system.
Our approach must always be families-first, ensuring First Nations Survivors, families, and communities co-develop programs and initiatives that directly impact them and that their voices lead the way in this journey toward justice and safety.”
“Today, I lift up all those with loved ones that never made it home. As we reflect on those we have lost, I call on the Government of Canada to commit to concrete actions that prevent further tragedies ”concluded National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada on matters of national or international nature and concern.
Contact information: Jon Adam Chen Communications Officer Assembly of First Nations jchen@afn.ca (343) 573-2229
