Iqaluit Red Dress Day marchers oppose violence against women
‘We need action, we need support, we need this to end,’ crowd hears
Approximately 80 people gathered to march across Iqaluit to commemorate and spread awareness for Red Dress Day, which remembers missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit peoples. (Photo by David Lochead)
The chant, “No more stolen sisters!” could be heard throughout Iqaluit’s core area as about 80 people marched Friday to mark Red Dress Day.
“We need action, we need support, we need this to end,” said Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council president Amber Aglukark in a speech before the march.
Red Dress Day, officially known as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People, is held not only to raise awareness of the issue but also to remember the victims.
The red dress tradition began in 2010 after Métis artist Jaime Black created an art installation by hanging empty red dresses in memory of missing murdered Indigenous women.
Signs in the crowd carried statements such as “How many must go until you listen?” and “This can’t keep going on.”
Indigenous women are 12 times more likely to be murdered in Canada than non-Indigenous women, according to the final report of the commission that led the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls four years ago.
Aglukark said Inuit women are 14 times more likely to be murdered than non-Indigenous women.
“Let that sink in,” she told the crowd.
The march was organized by Qulliit and YWCA Agvik Nunavut.
Outside the Qulliit building, Quttiktuq MLA David Akeeagok spoke as did a representative from Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada.
Iqaluit-Manirajak MLA Adam Arreak Lightstone was also at the march and said more investment is needed in shelters and transitional housing to protect women and girls.
“The stark reality is that we only have five communities with emergency shelters and family shelters” in Nunavut, he said.
The march went from the Qulliit building behind city hall, across the city to the library.
Afterward, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada held a Red Dress Day event at the library to present the Red Amautiit Project, which honours missing and murdered Inuit women by showcasing five red amautiits made from a seamstress in each region in Inuit Nunangat, plus a heritage one.
The entire collection will be displayed at the spring session of the legislative assembly starting May 24.
Nobody is stealing your sisters. The activist rhetoric is so out of touch. Nunavut definitely has a violence problem, along with many other root causes, but stealing sisters is actually not one of them.
Haven’t you heard about Savanna Pikuyak? Also look up the Highway of Tears. Nothing more to say. SMFH. Also, stop the sarcasm, it’s old.
One of the signs at the march read: “How many must go until you listen?”
Can anyone tell me who ‘you’ is and what you hope to see happen once ‘you’ does listen?
Yes Pasta King, you got it right.
I think people are complaining about native politicians, and native organizations who get
big wages and allowances, but always forget about the people they are supposed to be
helping.
They smile on TV a lot, but that is it.
Will stay that way till the people do something about it !
Peaceful coexistence personally, community/locally, globally is possible. Chin up, good parade, carry the banner, encore.