Starting at the Stoney Tribal Administration building, community members from the Stoney Nakoda Nation and their supporters marched to support the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) movement.
More than 350 people attended the march and the subsequent banner unveiling. In a massive show of support for the MMIWG2S movement and the Morley community.
The location of the banner itself was chosen for a powerful reason. As the Trans-Canada highway is infamous for unsolved cases involving Indigenous individuals.
Myrna Teegee an Indigenous liaison support worker at the Mini Thni Crisis Support Group and Stoney Health Services explains the purpose of this event and the MMIWG2S movement.
“The reason why the event happened was to bring awareness that there are still missing and murdered indigenous people, including non-indigenous people. So I believe we were honouring and respecting the ones that have passed on and also being in prayers for the ones that are still missing to this day.”
For Teegee the prayers held before the unveiling for the still-missing individuals and the ones who have passed were the highlight of the event.
In addition to the outpouring of support from the Morley township and the wider Stoney Nakoda Nation, the RCMP also joined the event as the banner was being unveiled. They are hoping that in raising awareness about this issue more information about missing individuals will be brought to light.
The Mini Thni Crisis Support Group which was responsible for helping organize this event are dedicated to helping members of the Stoney Nakoda Nation with a variety of services that aim to educate and train community members as well as lend them support through difficult circumstances.
Wendy Thatcher, a communications liaison for Stoney Health Services helps illustrate the importance of this organization to the community it serves.
“Our role in the community is to provide both in our health and wellness programs and as well just to be there for the community. We are here when the community needs us to help and support them on an issue that is so filled with emotion and tragedy and personal to so many in the community, we are happy to help them.”
The MMIWG2S movement is spreading to more and more communities, raising awareness about this still ongoing crisis. TeeGee explains what's next for the Mini Thni Crisis Support Group and Stoney Health Services
“In moving forward with the Mini Thni Crisis team, we're moving forward with the community, for the community and in collaboration and communication with them in their need. Whether that's on issues like this with regards to violence against indigenous women, or mental wellness and health programming.”
Follow the MMIWG2S movement through the Mini Thni Crisis Support Facebook page and the Stoney Health Services website.
Fri, May 3, 10:00 AM
