Candlelight vigils honour region's missing, murdered Indigenous women and girls

Women, children and two-spirited people from over a dozen Maritime First Nations were honoured Wednesday evening at a candlelight vigil at Halifax's Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre.

It was one of four Sisters in Spirit events held in Nova Scotia, and one of more than 200 events being held across Canada by the Native Women's Association of Canada to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

With a crowd of 50 in attendance, prayers were sung and candles lit for 38 women from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador. Three young Indigenous men were also honoured, and neckties were hung to represent the roles of Indigenous men in the issue.

The regional representative of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Denise Pictou-Maloney, lit a candle for her mother, Annie Mae Pictou-Aquash. Pictou-Maloney says the vigils stand as a reminder that families across Canada have yet to see justice in the passing of their loved ones.

"It's important for her to be included, because her justice isn't complete," said Pictou-Maloney. "These are human beings. It's something that our society has to acknowledge — that the numbers of [missing and murdered women and girls] are higher than any other demographic."

Pictou-Maloney's mother was murdered in 1975, and the investigation into her death took three decades and was rife with controversy. Pictou-Aquash's case is often held up as an example of injustices toward Indigenous women in North America. 

'It puts value to these people's lives'

Pictou-Maloney said it's obvious that violence toward Indigenous women is still a problem, and that Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians alike need to understand that. 

The annual vigils, says Pictou-Maloney, allow family members to speak about their pain in safe environments and see that their loved ones are now part of a meaningful cause.

In her family's case, she says it's an assurance that progress is finally being made.

"Never have our women been the focus of something at this level," she said. "It'll be the first time that we can tell [my mother's] story and have it legally documented in court. It puts value to these people's lives. They're the forgotten ones."

'There's a lot of tears'

Saint Mary's University master's student Salina Kemp lit multiple candles during the ceremony with her 12-year-old son. Kemp helped organize the hanging of red dresses across the SMU campus on Wednesday, adorned with pictures and information about missing women from across Nova Scotia.

The red dresses are part of a symbolic movement meant to remind passersby of any Indigenous woman muted by injustice.

Kemp says commemorations like this are reminders of her daily reality.   

"This is a question I wake up to everyday: 'Will I be the next red dress?'" said Kemp. "It's like waking up and knowing that there's a high chance I won't see my son again. There's a lot of tears."

After the ceremony, those in attendance were invited to light candles to honour their own loved ones. 

Nearly 60 candles glowed as the event came to an end.