Community comes together to mark Red Dress Day at Fort St. John events

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Although the crowd was small, the message about the “genocide” of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) rang loudly during a lunchtime walk at Fort St. John’s Festival Plaza.

They walked in multi-coloured ribbon skirts and wore beaded earrings and red hoodies to honour their loved ones during the Red Dress Day walk on May 5th.

First observed in 2010, Red Dress Day honours MMIWG in what is seen by some as a “genocidal” problem in Canada.

Data from Statistics Canada shows six times more Indigenous women were murdered or missing between 2009 and 2021 versus non-Indigenous women. 

The information is more alarming considering Indigenous women make up just four per cent of the total population in Canada, according to the Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter.

Organized by the Fort St. John Métis Society and Fort St. John Friendship Society, generations of families walked up 100th Avenue in memory of family members.

It was described as a “sombre day” by Bailie Copeland, director and proposal writer for the Métis Society.  

Accompanying her on the walk in a carry-on baby carrier was her young daughter Celeste.

“She’s the first in our family in a lot of years to be raised in the Indigenous culture right from birth,” said Copeland. “She’s going to be involved from the very beginning.

“I’m glad that I could be involved in this process, and I’m hoping that there are people that come today that can experience some sort of healing from that day.”

Those that walked included the family of Shirley Cletheroe, who went missing in 2006. One niece, Carmen Smith, brought her grandchildren and daughter.

“I grew up in the same family as her, and it’s been many years now that she’s been missing. We miss her,” said Smith. “She’s got grandchildren that would love to know her and know what happened to her.

“It’s very important for them to know their history and what will affect their lives when they grow up.”

Across town in Fort St. John, another Red Dress Walk took place, as students from Margaret ‘Ma’ Murray Community School walked down the pathway adjacent to the school.

It was organized by Indigenous student support worker Jessica Quintal and Grade 1 and 2 instructor Heather Reese.  

School district 60 Indigenous culture and language teacher Diane Barclay began the walk by burning sweetgrass, a symbol of resilience, strength and healing within First Nations cultures.

“The red dresses represent the spirits of those that have gone before us,” Barclay addressed students. 

“I just want to put in the most positive love and light and bring a lot of positive energy into the ground then on our walk and in your heart.”

Quintal said she printed out red dresses and hand prints last week, with 300 handprints all over the school’s walls by the students.

“It’s all pushed under the rug,” said Quintal. “People are unaware of the actual facts and the amount of Indigenous women and girls who go missing.

“I feel that it’s very important that people see that it is going to be brought into knowledge so our kids understand.”

Red Dress Day activities will continue at Festival Plaza, with an artisan market and red dress beading class throughout the afternoon, concluding with Indigenous dancers and a candlelight vigil from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.