LAC LA BICHE - Earlier this month, local Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) Region 1 office participated in a national campaign that brings awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). Coinciding with local Red Dress Day awareness on May 5 that saw local supporters take part in a lunch-hour walk through downtown Lac La Biche, MNA officials joined the national Moose Hide Campaign.
Shedding light on the serious impacts that affect indigenous women is the first step to moving forward, said Sarah Bourge, MNA Region 1 youth coordinator who planned the local link to the national campaign.
In 2011, to bring attention to the MMIW cause, northern British Columbia residents Paul Lacerte and his daughter Raven created the annual Moose Hide Campaign after harvesting a moose in an area along the infamous Highway of Tears where dozens of Indigenous women have died or disappeared. While the animal’s meat was used for the family, the hide was cut into small patches made into pins to represent the Indigenous women and girls behind the MMIW campaign. The little idea has grown over the last decade. Annually, supporters wear a square pin made of moose hide while taking part in traditional ceremonies, fasts, awareness events and teachings. Today the campaign distributes more than two million pins.
Some of the pins were ordered for Lac La Biche and area residents this year, the first time the Moose Hide Campaign has been connected locally.
“I decided to order pins to bring awareness around here. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the capacity to hold any vigils or walks,” said Bourge, but considering that Indigenous women have been impacted in Lac La Biche and surrounding areas, it’s important to support them in any way.
After ordering 250 pins in preparation for the campaign, over half have already been distributed locally, she says, indicating that the campaign has been received well by the community.
According to national RCMP statistics from across Canada, more than 1,180 Indigenous women have gone missing between 1980-2012, however, the number could be as high as 4,000 according to Indigenous organizations. With such a large number, Bourge says it is vital to look for answers, find solutions and participate in bringing awareness.
“With the history in Canada, it's obvious that indigenous women and people in the country are unfortunately over represented in domestic violence cases,” she said.
Moving forward
For the local MNA office, bringing awareness to not only the national crisis but having a difficult conversation is important for any healing to happen, she said.
“I think it’s important for everybody to be discussing it. It is kind of a taboo subject but it’s great to bring awareness to it, but further to that, we want to see action.”
In addition to the local Moose Hide Campaign, the local MNA has worked with the City of Edmonton and provincial Indigenous agencies that held the same event for the campaign on May 12. The idea behind the Moose Hide Campaign held was to draw Indigenous men into the conversation, said Bourge. They do that by holding a fast — abstaining from food for the day of remembrance and awareness. The MNA-hosted a workshop that helped to create a similar fasting plan for local participants. The local MNA and an elder from Region 4 worked together to create the plan which is a hallmark of the event to get males engaged with the campaign, she said.
“Some men and boys decide to fast in honour of the day as well, so we created a fasting guide with some information with our regional elder.”
Next year, the local MNA hopes to continue participating and garnering more local support, Bourge said.
“Hopefully next year we’ll be able to plan some bigger events,” she says, which could include walks and hands-on activities for youth.
