Each year the Cariboo Friendship Society hosts a ceremony in Williams Lake to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
This year it was held on Monday, May 6, in the parking lot above the Stampede Grounds, drawing more than 100 people for food, drumming and singing, and a sacred fire.
“I know it is an emotional event for friends and family,” said CFS executive director Rosanna McGregor. “But we hold this each year in hopes of bringing peace, love and understanding.”
Chiwid Transition House is operated by the CFS as a place for women and children to flee domestic abuse.
McGregor said “sadly” the program continues to be needed.
Last November, all transition houses in B.C. did a count in one day that showed there were 2,022 women in the houses and another 825 who could not get into one.
“Drugs and alcohol abuse are sadly involved in some form for 80 per cent of domestic abuse cases,” she said.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the issue and the “sad state of the world today,” McGregor said and acknowledged there are also cases in the region of missing and murdered men.
“I want to encourage our communities to continue to break cycles,” she said.
Williams Lake First Nation Chief Willie Sellars acknowledged McGregor and the CFS for putting on the event.
“It ignites the conversation and puts into perspective how close our communities are,” Sellars said, acknowledging there were leaders from various communities, including the municipality of Williams Lake present.
While the day can trigger trauma, Sellars said it is about trying to find balance and healing.
“I am always thankful to participate and welcome you to the traditional territory,” he said.
Recalling a conversation with a community member Sunday, May 5, Sellars said they talked about the importance of putting the healing of First Nations people on the forefront.
Peter Arnold Log Homes Ltd. of Williams Lake has donated a new wooden bench for the CFS memory garden at 624 Oliver Street.
The bench was on display at the ceremony and people were enjoying sitting on it.
McGregor said the new bench will be for people to sit and reflect and add a red rock to the memory garden if they want.
CFS staff had a table with homemade cookies, bannock, chili and water bottles, as well as some reusable bags and pin featuring the red dress design created by Satsi Naziel for the Aboriginal Housing Management Association.
Naziel uses the form line of northwest coast native art for the design.
“Ovoid, S-shapes, and U-shapes are put together in a way they create a red dress. Inside the dress you can find simple house motifs to represent the work AMHA does with Indigenous communities regarding housing,” Naziel said in a statement.
READ MORE: Red dresses at B.C fashion show honour missing and murdered Indigenous women
READ MORE: ‘I just about became a missing, murdered woman’: Kelowna Red Dress march
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