ST. PAUL - It was a sombre event, but an important one aimed at creating awareness around what many are calling an epidemic. The first ever REDress Runway event honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) was held at the Mannawanis Centre on May 5 in St. Paul.
The event included a pipe ceremony, a feast, and a fashion show, where a group of women walked in honour of lives cut short. Prior to the fashion show getting underway, organizers had to bring in additional chairs due to a strong attendance at the evening event.
Program director at the Mannawanis Native Friendship Centre, Dennis Steinhauer, spoke to those in attendance, saying the event clearly had a "women's touch" and he was thankful for all the staff who took time to organize the day. He also spoke about the import roles that both men and women have, and how men must be mindful of how they treat women, including strangers on the street.
Drummers from Frog Lake helped open the fashion show with a memorial song, "opening the gates" for those who have gone missing, explained Ricky Marty.
A few guest speakers shared their stories of heartache, including Georgina Cardinal, whose daughter Kimberly Cardinal went missing three years ago. Her body was found months later, and an extensive investigation that spanned over a year resulted in charges against a 43-year-old man from Saddle Lake in July of 2020.
While searching for her daughter, Georgina said she would wake up with "a lot of hope every morning," but by the end of the day, she would cry. "We just wanted to find her."
But, when her body was discovered, it was hard.
"To know how your daughter died... it just rips your heart apart," described Georgina. At times, she wondered how she would continue to live, but she knew she had to for the rest of her family.
"This journey is very long... it's the hardest journey I have to go through."
And while she deals with anxiety and other emotions when faced with attending court or being given the opportunity to share her story, she finds that she is able to speak and share what she went through when the day comes.
Andrea Jackson was also on hand to share her story with those in attendance. Andrea is the maternal aunt of Lindsay Jackson, who went missing in 2018. Lindsay's body was later recovered from the North Saskatchewan River, and murder charges were laid.
"I did what my sister couldn't... to be the voice of my family," recalled Andrea, who has taken on the task of raising her niece's four children. She shared that she hardly ever prays for strength, but instead she asks for clarity and guidance.
Andrea noted that it does not get easier as time goes on, but she is committed to sharing her story and creating awareness.
MLA David Hanson and Town of St. Paul Mayor Maureen Miller were also both on hand during the fashion show as a sign of support and to help create awareness around the topic of MMIWG.
After the guest speakers, a number of participants - both Indigenous and not - walked along a red carpet in an emotional display of solidarity and support for those who have gone missing or passed.
May 5 was Red Dress Day, a national movement in honour of MMIWG.
