'We have a bond': No Stone Unturned brings families of murdered and missing together

Music brought the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women together in Winnipeg Saturday for the annual No Stone Unturned concert. 

Now in its 10th year, the free event is held to support those who have lost loved ones and raise awareness around Manitoba's missing and murdered.

"We're a family, murdered and missing Indigenous women, we're a family," said Bernice Catcheway, whose daughter Jennifer Catcheway has been missing since June 19, 2008 – her 18th birthday. 

"Over the last 10 years that I've been involved, we've grown to care for one and other and pray with one and other. 

"We all suffered the same loss… so we have a bond."

Bernice and her husband Wilfred have never stopped searching for their daughter.

The pair say they would normally have spent their Saturday with shovels and picks, scouring through the bush around their home in Portage la Prairie and Grand Rapids, Man., where Jennifer was last seen.

But they decided to take the day off to come to the concert.

'We don't want to ever forget'

They wanted to stand in solidarity with Claudette Osborne's family, who have been waiting a decade for closure too.

Osborne, 21, was last seen in near Selkirk Avenue and King Street in Winnipeg July 25, 2008.

The concert is held in honour of the missing mother of four.

"She's missed," said Osborne's sister and concert organizer Bernadette Smith, who is also the co-founder of Drag the Red initiative and the MLA for Point Douglas.

"She's not someone that was just disposable and we continue this concert in honour of her every year... because we don't want to ever forget our loved ones who have passed or are still missing.

"Our family has never stopped creating awareness, doing searches and doing walks in supporting other families."

Smith said creating connection amongst the families who have lost loved ones is important and through the concert, they're also putting pressure on politicians and police for change.

She said more resources are needed to support families of the murdered and missing.

"These are humans — a part of our community that are missing — and we need to do more," she said.

"We need to do more preventative but also put our resources into supporting our families that are going through this."

Working together

Sue Caribou, who has never missed one of the concerts, said the event is making a difference.

Ten people in Caribou's family have been murdered and two are missing.

She spoke to Winnipeg police officers who were among those at St. John's Park for the concert and told CBC News it means a lot to see the service attending the event.

"We're finally working together, you know," she said.

"We should always be working together and come as one, that's the only way we're going to move forward in a good way."

Ultimately Smith said she hopes the concert gives families hope.

"The only ones that can really understand what you are truly going through are those people who are also going through it or have been through it," she said.

"It's super important to bring families together to support one and other."