Thousands take part in annual Women's Memorial March

Thousands of people took part in the annual Women's Memorial March in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Wednesday. The marchers slowly wove through the neighbourhood, drumming and singing Indigenous songs.

In a tradition that goes back at least 20 years, the marchers carried flowers, which were placed at various spots along the route. The ceremonial moments were off-limits to media, and meant to honour specific women who were killed, or went missing from the neighbourhood.

Skil Jayday was one of the many people taking part in the event. She was there to support the women, and to remember a cousin she lost in the neighbourhood about 25 years ago.

"It always will be [fresh in my memory], you know, just losing women in general, friends and losing sisters, and mothers and stuff," said Jayday, who added she feels more work needs to be done to reduce the violence.

"It's starting to — I'm not saying it's not being worked on, but it's taken a long time," she said. "It's slowly happening. It's not happening as fast as, obviously, as we'd like it too be."

B.C. Premier John Horgan, along with MLA Melanie Mark and Scott Fraser, minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, issued a statement about the annual event.

It notes that Indigenous women are three times more likely to experience domestic violence, murder, or other violent crimes than non-Indigenous women.

"It is with heartfelt regret that we cannot physically be there with you today. We stand with you in heart and spirit," the statement read. "We want to affirm that these women and girls are not forgotten. Their lives matter and their legacy matters. Every woman and child deserves to feel safe and protected."

Cheyenne Maya Stevens was one of the younger women in the crowd. Stevens said the march made her feel more empowered.

"I think it ... allows you to have a platform that you would never normally have to express the kind of pain and mourning that a lot of us have experienced through, like, intergenerational damage," she said.

Stevens said violence against Indigenous women is something that has had an impact on nearly all the Indigenous people she knows.

"I personally have family members who were lost on the Highway of Tears, and I think this is the most beautiful way that I've found to express that and find healing through that — through that loss."

For Christine Starr, who marched with a portrait of her aunt, the event wasn't about remembering murdered and lost women — though that's a big part of it — but honouring her aunt Bea.

"It's my third year marching in the march with my auntie Bea. She was a huge part in participating in this and helping the murdered and missing women's families. It's something that was very close to her heart," said Starr. "As long as we have her ashes and her picture, we will bring her down every year."

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