Moose Hide day attendees promise to end gender-based violence

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Attendees from all walks of life came together, spoke and made a promise to end gender-based violence in Fort St. John against the backdrop of Festival Plaza.

The second annual Moose Hide Campaign event took place on May 15th in the city, organized by the Fort St. John Friendship Society and Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona Family Services Society.

In a booth hosted by Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona, brochures about the program were prominent, as well as the focus of the event: a single moose-hide pin, which symbolized a pledge from the wearers to end gender-based violence. 

Todd Morrow, executive director of the Fort St. John Friendship Society, talked of the importance of speaking out and acknowledging there is an uneven slant toward gender-based violence but, like the website says, “blame is not the answer.”

“It’s a movement for everybody to stand up against violence towards women and children that is being perpetrated,” said Morrow. “For non-Indigenous individuals [to come] out and [support] events like this, as well as taking that pledge to wear a moose hide pin today.

“That moose hide pin is a pledge to not perpetrate violence. So everyone is able to take part in this and everyone is able to be part of this movement.”

Local organizations such as Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona, the Fort St. John Women’s Resource Society, and the Indian Residential School Survivors Society each had booths, offering their services and opening a dialogue.

The event was opened by David Rattray, a member of the Tahltan First Nation of northwestern B.C. 

Rattray, a former Indigenous counsellor with School District 60, opened with a drum prayer, and told attendees the story of its cover, depicting a mountain range accompanied by a lake.

Indigenous dance troupe The Milligan Girls, opened the ceremony with a jingle dance, and speeches were made by Connie Greyeyes, Bruce McKay and Rattray.

Rattray spoke of being a child and having to cover his father’s eyes to shield his mother from being hit, with the sight of a long flashlight provoking difficult memories of his father’s abuse.

“A long time ago, we had different ways to show how important the women were, and our girls,” said Rattray. “We don’t do that properly anymore.”

McKay, of mixed Cree and Mètis ancestry, said by simply wearing the pin and making a promise, it starts a conversation to end gender-based violence. 

McKay is an independent Indigenous education consultant and has worked at both Northern Lights College and in the Yukon. 

“When we have the symbol of the moose hide we can just touch it and think about those values we want to pass on,” said McKay. 

“How do we stop violence at home? How do we stop women and children from the physical abuse they suffer at the hands of their loved ones? It happens through conversations.”

A solidarity walk with the sign “Moose Hide Campaign” leading the way followed, starting down 100th Street, turning south on 93rd Avenue, walking to the Pomeroy Sports Centre and then east up 96th Avenue back to Festival Plaza, where a BBQ dinner awaited.

The evening finished with a performance by the School District 60 Indigenous Education Centre’s dancers.

This comes after Sarah McAleney, a family wellness counsellor at Nenan Dane Zaa Deh Zona Family Services Society, stopped by Moose Media studios on Friday, May 9th to chat with afternoon show host Chris Walker about the Moose Hide Campaign day.