Ceremonies and gatherings took place at Kehewin Cree Nation and at Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre in St. Paul May 5 to draw attention to the ongoing issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).
At Kehewin there was a pipe ceremony, stories, and songs followed by a walk in honour of the missing women and girls.
Mannawanis also held a pipe ceremony followed by a feast, and the unveiling of a commemorative red shirt and red skirt.
May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People. Virtually all Indigenous communities have been impacted by the violence, often facing neglect by law enforcement and government institutions.
In 2019, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its final report declaring the violence a “Canadian genocide.” The report issued 231 Calls for Justice, urging all levels of government to take action. These included better access to health and social services, stronger police accountability, and legal reforms to address systemic bias.
The issue has received increased national attention since four women were killed in Manitoba by one serial killer. The remains of at least two of the women, Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, were believed to have been dumped in a Winnipeg landfill.
After repeated refusals by the provincial government to conduct a search, a newly-elected government committed up to $40 million to look for the women’s remains. Earlier this year Indigenous search technicians located both women’s remains in the landfill.
The search continues for the remains of the fourth victim, known as Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe.
Another local MMIWG2S+ commemoration, scheduled for Frog Lake May 5, was postponed until May 12
