Hundreds march in Duncan, B.C., to mourn the death of Indigenous teenager and call for justice

Hundreds of people marched through Duncan, B.C., and Cowichan Tribes territory on Wednesday to call for justice for Carsyn Seaweed. 

The 15-year-old Indigenous girl died on May 15 shortly after she was found semi-conscious under debris in a wooded area on Cowichan land. 

Police say they have ruled out homicide, but continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death. The B.C. Coroners Service is also investigating. 

People from across Vancouver Island attended Wednesday's rally in Duncan, located about 60 kilometres north of Victoria. They came from Seaweed's member nations, Cowichan Tribes and the Namgis First Nation, as well as other First Nations and nearby communities. 

As the crowd made its way through town, passing drivers honked and waved. People coming out of stores stopped and stood silently as marchers streamed by. 

Marchers drummed and wore red to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women.

The march ended at a soccer field on Cowichan Tribes land, where Seaweed and her mother had watched a soccer tournament the day before she died. 

Her mother, Marie Seaweed, was surrounded by family members from her home community in Alert Bay, B.C., about a five-hour car and ferry journey from Duncan. 

"Here on this field was the last place I seen my daughter, and it's my first time being back," Marie said. "It's hard, I just want justice for my daughter."

She said police are checking in with her regularly, and she's hopeful they'll find out what happened to her daughter. 

Seaweed's father, Benny George, was surrounded by his family from Cowichan Tribes. 

He expressed gratitude to those who travelled from Alert Bay and elsewhere, and acknowledged that many people have felt the impact of his daughter's death as she had ties to communities across Vancouver Island. 

He also called on his community to step up and fight to make it a safer place. 

"We have to do better for our kids," George said. "There are future generations and we need to keep them off the streets."

Lydia Hwitsum, the elected chief of Cowichan Tribes, agreed. 

"This is a call for justice," she told the crowd. "We need to all stand together for the safety of this community and reach out to each other and lift each other up."

She called on anyone who knows anything about what happened to Seaweed to report it to police or to another community member. 

Many voices 

Carol Newington, a city councillor in Duncan, choked back tears as she read a statement she'd prepared. 

"I just feel so at loss as to what is happening in this community," Newington said. "I'm very sad. It's hard to reconcile a death of a young person and to cope with the loss."

She said she was there to support Seaweed's family and community, and called for justice for all missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, men, and boys. 

Elected Cowichan Tribes Councillor Howie George said local calls for justice are just the beginning. 

"We need this to be so much more powerful, but today was a huge statement to be able to come together, stay together and send this feeling to the top."

George called for more funding from other levels of government for policing, addiction services, and other supports.