Beating drums and raised voices echoed through downtown Kelowna for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls on Monday.
Hundreds of people dressed in red marched from the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society on Leon Avenue to the Kelowna Law Courts, a display that doubles as a call to action to bring the missing back home.
“All levels of government have not done enough to address this. There is still a widespread belief that these are one-off incidents, that they are localized, but the problem is really systemic,” said Aaron St.Pierre, Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society executive director.
Indigenous women and girls are six times more likely to be murdered than other groups of people in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. It’s a statistic that the people taking part in the march on Monday hope to see change.
Stephanie Anaka, the founder of the Positive Pathways for 60s Scoop Foundation, and her board member, Denise Young, were among the crowd.
“Being here and having the representation as ’60s scoop survivors, I could have been a missing Indigenous woman,” said Anaka.
“The government needs to understand why we are here, what has happened and have us come to the table and listen to us when we have suggestions.”
This is the 15th anniversary of Red Dress Day, when Indigenous and non-Indigenous people come together to raise their voices for justice.
Autumn Pomber is one of the attendees raising her voice for the cause.
“I think that’s very important. It sings to me, so today I sing with my people,” said Pomber.
The sound of drums and the “Women’s Warrior Song” rang through the streets of downtown Kelowna and will not rest until change happens.
Blood Tribe residents remember loved ones on Red Dress Day
