On Feb. 14,  members of the Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) unveil their official banner for their May 5 event for the National Day of Awareness. (NFLA)

By Jordan Davidson

honour walk

Missing & murdered Indigenous women walk and event scheduled in Nanaimo

May 4, 2023 | 2:19 PM

NANAIMO — A community walk aims to raise awareness and honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit individuals (MMIWG2S+).

Friday, May 5 marks the national MMIWG2S+ awareness day, also known as Red Dress Day, with the Nanaimo Family Life Association (NFLA) putting on the walk.

The march starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Thrifty Foods parking lot at Port Place Shopping Centre and proceeds to Maffeo Sutton Park.

A formal presence will then be established at the park from noon until 3 p.m.

Program coordinator for the Indigenous informed sexual assault response program at NFLA Esther Charlie said the event is a way to commemorate those lost while working to prevent future incidents.

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“We will open and honour those that are missing or murdered and hold the families up in a good way, but also sharing and acknowledging not only what the City is doing (but also) organizations that are providing support and looking at addressing the high percentage of violence that women and girls experience today.”

Information on different programs available within the community will be available at Maffeo Sutton Park, along with refreshments and a tent for local Indigenous elders.

A crowd looks on as the NFLA unveil their plans for the May 5 walk for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. (NFLA)

Other local groups participating include Nanaimo Women Helping Women, the Haven Society of Nanaimo/Oceanside, the Nanaimo Brain Injury Society, and the Cedar Woman House.

Charlie said it’s important to highlight how these issues are still prominent today.

“Promoting awareness and helping others understand how big it is that Indigenous women, girls, are still experiencing the level of violence that is happening, and looking at how we can start and continue to support future generations to undo and be more aware.”

Another march is also taking place in Ladysmith the same day starting at 11 a.m. at Elliots Beach Park towards Stz’uminus Community Centre.

A similar event is happening on Friday in Duncan.

According to the final report issued by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, between 1980 and 2021 16 per cent of all female homicides in Canada were against Indigenous women and girls, despite only making up four per cent of the population.

The House of Commons recently unanimously backed a motion declaring the deaths and disappearance of Indigenous women and girls a Canada-wide emergency, along with funding a nationwide public alert system.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow