Walkers remember missing or murdered women

Wearing white and pale blue ribbons and clutching balloons bearing the names of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, 36 men and women walked through downtown Yorkton, taking part in a mourning vigil.

The Sisters in Spirit Walk held the morning of Oct. 4, was hosted by the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Women's Circle Corporation (SAWCC). The walk was part of the Sisters in Spirit national campaign launched by the Native Women's Association of Canada as a way to raise awareness and help stop violence against Aboriginal women and children.

The Yorkton walk began with participants meeting at the SAWCC office at 17 Fifth Ave. North. Community members taking part in the walk were joined by others, including RCMP Cpl. Rob Laurent, city councillor Deb Schmidt and Mayor Phil DeVos.

Elder Sylvia Popowich offered the opening prayer, then Yvette Allary of SAWCC told the group that the name on each balloon represents "a very special person" and silently asks the question, "Where are the murdered and missing women and children today?"

She answered, "They are here with us. Where we go, we are their voices and with our voices we will help other women and children."

The group walked two blocks to the park beside city hall on Third Ave. There SAWCC president Judy Hughes spoke, pausing several times when she was overcome with emotion. She said it was an honour for the organization to do this for the women and children and "for the families who are missing them and for the communities who are working hard to bring them home."

"Our hearts are with all of them. We know it truly is an emotional issue," Hughes said. "Feel free to cry if you want. It's a healing process."

Hughes spoke about the Sisters in Spirit campaign, which was launched last year.

"It's a five-year campaign and we're looking at being able to raise awareness of violence that's been perpetrated against Aboriginal women," she said. "We hope the campaign will continue growing or we eliminate violence, whichever comes first."

Campaign activities in Saskatchewan have included workshops involving the communities of Regina, Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Meadow Lake, families, police and other support agencies.
Aboriginal women have also been questioning how things could be improved, Hughes said.

"What kind policy change can we elect in terms of making our communities safer for women on the street and also safer for our brothers and other men on the street?"

Hughes said she just came back from the annual general meeting of the Native Women's Association of Canada. "Our youth council made a very powerful presentation on their feelings on violence. The youth are very concerned about this because they are the target group for murders, for violence, for date rape."

Hughes said it is intensely personal for her. "I have a daughter who is that age. I believe in the work that's being done for this. We all have to take a stand for issues like this."

Hughes said most of the names on the balloons were those of people from Saskatchewan. "We have a lot of work to do in this province. From this day forward I would like to see everyone to make a commitment to working together."

DeVos recalls meeting with Hughes when SAWCC first opened its office in Yorkton.

"I remember seeing Judy (Hughes) there with the national representatives. I asked, 'What are you going to do?' I believe it was Judy who said, 'We're going to do everything,'" DeVos said.

"I think that today is probably one little step that they've taken to recognize those people who have gone," he said. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the names we have on our balloons are still alive? The reality in our society is, it's extremely unlikely."

Violence against Aboriginal children and women isn't a problem that is the responsibility of any single group, DeVos said. It's a community problem.

"I think the big challenge is for the community to embrace it."