I recently read a newspaper article in the Ottawa Sun about a nationwide petition that has been compiled and sent to Prime Minister Stephen Harper that demands justice for murdered and missing indigenous women and girls. "Prepared by NWAC and endorsed by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organizations including Amnesty International Canada, the petition calls for a national inquiry into Canada's missing and murdered Aboriginal women" and "also calls for the involvement of Aboriginal women in designing and implementing the inquiry"(Ascah, 2012) These types of movements challenge the existing neo-conservative policies that stand in the way of equality.
Today, I also stumbled across this article posted below, in the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society which is a First Nations news source. It tells the story of a man who died protecting his wife in Midland, Ontario this past summer. (Meili, 2012) These incidents are all to familiar in the lives of our Indigenous families.
http://www.ammsa.com/publications/windspeaker/andrew-mixemong-footprints.
Women are seen as powerful and respected in Anishnaabek culture. We must do more to ensure that our grandmothers, mothers, and sisters are held sacred so that we are able to create balance in our societies. There is something extremely wrong with the statistics being as inconsistent as they are, across this diverse and vast continent. It is obvious that an Aboriginal justice system is imperative. Individual communities would benefit from the ability to address issues, prevalent within their own jurisdictions. If there are extremely high rates of crime, due to unfair and insensitive treatment of Indigenous people, then why not create an environment that is conducive of healing, in First Nations communities?
Baa pii gwe nin,
~Tara
References:
Shannon, K., et al. (2008). Social Science & Medicine 66. p.912
SHANIeymary. (Producer). (2012). *important* missing & murdered indigenous women. [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LQVw2HAKSo&feature=plcp
SHANIeymary. (Producer). (2012). *important* missing & murdered indigenous women. [Web Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LQVw2HAKSo&feature=plcp
Ascah, A. (2012, October 2). Demanding justice for missing and murdered aboriginal women .Ottawa Sun
Meili, D. (2012, October 29). Andrew mixemong [footprints].Aboriginal Multi-Media Society, 30(6),
Corbiere-Lavell, J., et al. (2012, March) Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls in British Coloumbia, Canada. Briefing Paper for Thematic Hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
I totally agree with your post. It not only disgusting how Aboriginal women and people were treated in the past, but also how they are treated today. I think that as a European-Canadian women, my people owe the Aboriginals a lot more than we have given them. Our government has to stop discriminating against Aboriginals, and give them what is rightfully theirs. This is their land, and we came here and took it from them basically. We tried to assimilate the culture, traditions and beliefs, and we murders a LOT of Aboriginals. We gave them left-over land that does not have enough resources, and we used their land to industrialize and benefit greatly from. Our government needs to make this right and give them back what they deserve, not only to the missing and murdered women, but to all Aboriginals on the land. European-Canadians need to be more aware about what we have done in the past, and the conditions that a lot of Aboriginals live in today.
ReplyDelete-Lyndsay
Tara, I too agree with your post. It is awful that this can happen and noone knows anything or says anything. That is is basically just swept under the rug of our country and hoped that noone will ask quesions or do anything about it. I truely felt horrible about knowing that this has happened and am only hearing of it now. You did great research and I hope that this is something that gets light and is rectified as well as these missing individuals receive justice and are found if possible.
ReplyDeleteAngela "Northern and Rural group"
Tara, what a great job in advocating for people who are no longer with us physically. Your ability to allow thier spirit to be recognized is beautiful. I love the way you presented this blog. The short video with a big impact. I truely enjoyed reading the article on Andrew and his heroic manners to protect his partner. I truely hope our justic system will grant the accuse,d proper convictions. My opinion they need to sit and think for a very very very long time. As watching the video the only word racing in my mind was WHy Why why? I know, we may never get to the bottom, however it is people like you to bring awarness helps the victims immensly. We must not forget the familes also and thier pain they have to endure. Thank you Tara. Great Blog. Heather on Mudered and Missing Woman
ReplyDeleteThe title of your blog concerns a topic of which many Aboriginal people are painfully aware. So many of our mothers, aunties, daughters, and sisters have disappeared without as much as a whisper. It has always been interesting how little media coverage and law enforcement attention is paid when an Aboriginal woman goes missing. Certainly when attention is given, it is nowhere near the amount of attention that non-Aboriginal women who go missing receive. In a white, male dominated society, Aboriginal women are at the bottom of the hierarchy. As you mentioned, this is a far cry from their once sacred positions within Anishinaabek society.
ReplyDeleteIn my previous job in the Native community I participated in annual “Sisters in Spirit” vigil every October. “October 4th is an important day where we honour the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls and support families who have been tragically touched by the loss of a loved one to violence.” (Native Women’s Association of Canada, 2012) This year 172 vigils were held across Canada, setting a record.
When I visited British Colombia last summer, I realized I travelled on the same highway where many women went missing. This is known locally as “The Highway of Tears” and it is where between 18 and 43 Aboriginal women have gone missing. In Vancouver, I purposely went through the notorious Lower East Side, that place where serial killer Robert Picton picked up his victims, most of whom were Aboriginal women. I felt the sense of dread being there. The dread gave way to a sense of disgust at the fact that police failed to investigate reports of missing women mostly because they were aboriginal – at the bottom of the order. Acts of violence left unanswered.
A tear came to my eye when you mentioned Andrew Mixemong. Andrew (whom we all knew as “Fudd”) was an Elder in my community. His murder had a huge effect on many of us. We lost traditional knowledge and a language speaker as well. It was sad to see a life cut short because of a senseless act of random violence.
In regards to the stripping or awarding of status, the wording is misleading. I think what you meant is when a non-native marries a native man, she gains status. It further demonstrates the patriarchal society which created the Indian Act.
Thanks for your blog Tara.
Lisa
Resources
Native Women's Association of Canada. (2012, October 17). Press release. Retrieved from http://www.nwac.ca/media/release/17-10-12
Thanks for bringing that to my attention… I fixed it so it is worded properly now.
ReplyDeleteThis blog struck a few cords with me. The video clip you posted gave me goosebumps and actually made me feel like crying. I think it is so sad that these women are being forgotten and just left for dead. Women are the bearers of life and without them, how can the human race continue? I am enraged that the government acts as though Anishnaabe people and especially their women are not worthy enough to have something done for them. I feel if there were 3000 missing white women a lot more attention would be drawn to it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this Tara, I think everyone needs to read it.
Kristin*
This is a great article Tara. It's been in the media for years about many missing Native Women. When Robert Picton was convicted a few years ago, he was said to have had involvement in the disappearance of these women. Because they may have been drug users and living on the streets does not mean that they were't human. They are and were somebody's daughter, sister and mother. It's so sad that many of these women are still today not found. More action from the RCMP and Government has to done. Thanks for sharing this Tara.
ReplyDeleteJennifer