Grief, Love, and Calls for Action: 8th Annual Women's Memorial March

Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at 8:05 AM

By Josie Patterson

The 8th annual Women’s Memorial March took place this past Monday, the event started with multiple powerful local Indigenous speakers in front of the Comox Valley Art Gallery at 11:30am. This article contains details of graphic sexual and physical abuse, please read with care for your spirit. (Photos by Mackai Sharp)

The speakers were flanked by a full rainbow of jingle dress dancers representing the exhibit that was closing at the Gallery, “Noojim Owin: The Gift of Healing Dance, When we Dance, We Dance for the People”.

The speakers included Kristy Bell who was organizing the event, Donna Mitchell (KFN elder), Cassidy from CVAG, Joanne Restoule (cultural presenter at the jingle dress exhibit), Jeannine Walker, Verna Wallace, Avis O’Brien, Darren Patrick, Myrna, and Trudy Smith.

Trudy Smith, a member of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council, spoke about the abuses she suffered both as a survivor of missing and murdered women at the hands of a serial sexual predator, and also as a survivor of the residential institution system.

She told the story of how she was kidnapped in Campbell River, snatched off the street and held in a basement, where she suffered repeated physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.

The man who abused her and so many others, William Williamson, was locked up for life. In 2018 he was released and living in Vancouver, last year he died of cancer.

Smith spoke about her sister, Pauline Johnson, who was murdered in 1985, stating that the case still hasn't been closed.

“My late sister Pauline Johnson was murdered in 1985, today the case is not even closed. I am going to fight every day until the day I die for justice.”

Smith reminded us to impart our love to our children, and that this will bring some of the healing we are desperately needing.

“We live our life each and every day, that you always make sure that with your children with your sons and daughters, always tell them you love them. No matter how hard and how difficult they can be, always tell them you love them no matter what. For the healing of our Nations.”

Avis O’Brien spoke as well, she is the niece of Verna Wallace, who was the inspiration for the march being brought to the Comox Valley 8 years ago, after her sister Selina Wallace went missing decades ago.

Avis spoke of how colonial violence and bigotry is continued to be perpetrated to this day, how it is the root of the suffering they are highlighting.

“This is an epidemic that has its roots in gendered colonial violence that has been enacted and enforced upon our people by the federal government. The laws have changed, but we are still living with the impacts.”

“The roots of this problem are in systemic racism, the people that are supposed to care for us? Our lives are not valued in the same way.”

She emphasized the need for change, “This has been going on for a very long time.”

The people featured spoke of the importance of ally-ship, reminding us that these losses don't just affect indigenous people.

Impassioned pleas were made for allies to take the time to educate ourselves and our friends and family about these issues, to read the calls to action from the truth and reconciliation committee, and to show up for solidarity when Indigenous community members ask it of us.

Photo by Mackai Sharpe

Darren Patrick took the mic as a stunning representative for how men can offer their support, he stated disappointment in the lack of turnout for the event this year, though a small but mighty crowd was present. He felt it mirrors the lack of support for Indigenous issues across the board.

“Its hard in todays society to go forward with love. With everything that’s been going on over the last year and a bit, for the last 200+ years for us as Indigenous people. Its hard not to be angry. But its how we channel that anger. I’ll be honest it kind of makes me angry, there should be more people here. There should be more people here.”

Patrick spoke with sadness about how desensitized we have become to the crisis of missing and murdered women, and the mistreatment of Indigenous people.

“We’ve normalized the disappearance and murder of our sisters, and its become normal to view us as second class citizens. If we’re viewed as citizens at all. And thats a shame.”

He continued by speaking about how leadership is meant to represent the people it serves, and that it hasn’t ever served us in a truly egalitarian representative way.

“We need to elect different people, people that represent, who have the same faces and values that we do. Communal values, not individualistic values.” He said.

“One of the things we need to change as an Indigenous people is to stop electing male people, into the chiefs. And I say that as a former council member!” He said, laughing a bit as he did.

Patrick finished with his admitted state of vulnerability as an Indigenous person, and simultaneously feeling responsible for protecting the women and girls in his community.

“Unfortunately as an Indigenous person, I am one of the most vulnerable. But I have a role, in my communities as an Indigenous man, I say this with a heavy heart as well, my role is to protect our Indigenous women.”

“But at the same time its a misogynist society, it’s a patriarchal society that we’ve inherited that we’re normalizing as well.” He said.

“We need to listen to our women, we need to listen to our sisters, our Aunties. Today is a day of honour for them, it’s a day of grieving, but it should also be a day of celebration.”

After the speeches, the community drummed, danced, and sang together. I had to stop reporting at this time because I was beckoned to join the dance by Elder Verna Wallace. And as Kristy Bell said, “You don’t say no to Verna”.

Once the dance had finished, Kristy Bell read the list of names who we held in honour and silence this year. This was a very small portion of the names that could be listed, the local list is updated each year with help from the community. You can read the list of names below.

Then following a moment of silence, the march was led by elders, drums, and the families of those who have lost loved ones to MMIW.

Supported by their entire community behind them in solidarity, they marched to Simms Park, where the sun shone brightly as children played, more dancing and singing took place, and the community held each other close in remembering, solidarity, and love.

These years names honoured specifically are,

Emmet paul, Alice Marie-Favelle, Angelina Pete, Lisa Paul, Kayla LaLonde, Kathleen, Martha, Janet Henry, Laretta, Lisa Marie-Young, Savannah, Selina Wallace, Pauline Johnson, and the many other women we carry in our hearts.

Photos of the event were provided graciously by Mackai sharp, local filmmaker and photographer.