Keetsahnak / Our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Sisters

KIM ANDERSON, & , Editors

Keetsahnak Our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Sisters

1 The University of Alberta Press Published by First edition, first printing, 2018. First electronic edition, 2018. The University of Alberta Press Copyediting and proofreading by Ring House 2 Joanne Muzak. Edmonton, Alberta, t6g 2e1 Indexing by Judy Dunlop. www.uap.ualberta.ca Book design by Alan Brownoff.

Copyright © 2018 The University of Cover image: Sherry Farrell Racette, She Alberta Press Grew Her Garden on Rough Ground, 2016, beadwork on moosehide. Used by permission library and archives canada cataloguing in publication All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored Keetsahnak / Our missing and in a retrieval system, or transmitted in murdered Indigenous sisters / any form or by any means (electronic, Kim Anderson, Maria Campbell & mechanical, photocopying, recording, Christi Belcourt, editors. or otherwise) without prior written consent. Contact the University of Alberta Includes bibliographical references Press for further details. and index. Issued in print and electronic formats. The University of Alberta Press supports isbn 978–1–77212–367–8 (softcover).— copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, isbn 978–1–77212–391–3 (epub).— encourages diverse voices, promotes free isbn 978–1–77212–392–0 (Kindle).— speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank isbn 978–1–77212–390–6 (pdf) you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with the copyright 1. Native women—Crimes against— laws by not reproducing, scanning, or Canada. 2. Native women—Crimes distributing any part of it in any form against—Canada—Prevention. 3. Native without permission. You are supporting women—Violence against—Canada. writers and allowing the University of 4. Native women—Violence against— Alberta Press to continue to publish books Canada—Prevention. 5. Missing for every reader. persons—Canada. 6. Murder victims— Canada. 7. Native women—Canada— The University of Alberta Press gratefully Social conditions. I. Campbell, Maria, editor acknowledges the support received for its II. Anderson, Kim, 1964–, editor publishing program from the Government III. Belcourt, Christi, 1966–, editor of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, IV. Title: Our missing and murdered and the Government of Alberta through the Indigenous sisters. Alberta Media Fund. e98.w8k448 2018 305.48’897071 c2018–901685–x 6 7 c2018–901686–8 Dedicated to spirits of our relatives who continue to guide their families from the spirit world.

Contents

Prologue xi Waking Dreams: Reflections on Walking With Our Sisters christi belcourt

Acknowledgements xix

Introduction xxi kim anderson

I | All Our Relations

1 Voices from the Downtown Eastside 3 debra leo, beatrice starr & stella august downtown eastside power of women group

2 Honouring Women 15 beverly jacobs

3 Sacred Sisters and Sacred Circles 35 A Story of One Nehiyawak Family and the Power of Spirit sandra lamouche 4 Honouring Elsie 45 Was She Just a Dream? ann-marie livingston & sarah hunt

II | The Violence of History

5 Generations of Genocide 65 The Historical and Sociological Context of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls robyn bourgeois

6 A Tradition of Violence 89 Dehumanization, Stereotyping, and Indigenous Women michelle good

7 The (Un)Making of Property 103 Gender Violence and the Legal Status of Long Island Algonquian Women kelsey t. leonard

8 (The Missing Chapter) On Being Missing 125 From Indian Problem to Indian Problematic maya ode’amik chacaby

III | Challenges

9 Violence and Extraction 147 Stories from the Oil Fields helen knott

10 Skirting the Issues 161 Indigenous Myths, Misses, and Misogyny alex wilson

11 The Moose in the Room 175 Indigenous Men and Violence against Women robert alexander innes & kim anderson 12 Considering Wenonah, Considering Us 193 waaseyaa’sin christine sy

13 Centring Resurgence 215 Taking on Colonial Gender Violence in Indigenous Nation Building leanne betasamosake simpson

IV | Action, Always

14 Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik 243 Saskatchewan Community Activism to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls darlene r. okemaysim-sicotte, susan gingell & rita bouvier

15 Woman Sacred 271 pahan pte san win

16 Leading with Our Hearts 279 Anti-Violence Action and Beadwork Circles as Colonial Resistance laura harjo, jenell navarro & kimberly robertson

Epilogue 305 Sitting in with Sisters kim anderson, tracy bear, christi belcourt, maria campbell, maya ode’amik chacaby, tanya kappo, tara kappo, lyla kinoshameg, jo-anne lawless, brenda macdougall, sylvia maracle, ramona reece, madeleine kétéskwew dion stout

Contributors 327

Index 339

Prologue xi Waking Dreams: Reflections on Walking With Our Sisters

christi belcourt

i had a dream shortly before Walking With Our Sisters (wwos) opened for the frst time in the fall of 2013 in Edmonton. I was wondering how all those vamps were going to be set up. I knew the red cloth would be covering the floor and people would remove their shoes to walk along side the vamps. But I wasn’t sure exactly how that many pairs would be laid out. I didn’t yet under- stand the extent to which community involvement would be essential. I also didn’t yet understand how this Indigenous-led commemoration was ceremony and not just “art.” By the time Edmonton was set to open, 1,763 pairs of vamps had arrived, 65 beading groups had sprang up, over a dozen people had joined me on the national collective to help organize, and thousands had been inspired to express their care and concern by

Walking With Our Sisters is a memorial installation of over two thousand moccasin tops (sometimes called vamps) to honour the lives of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people. The travelling memorial runs until 2018. For more information, see www. walkingwithoursisters.ca. This publication emerged as an idea by the wwos national collective under the guidance of Elder Maria Campbell, who wanted to increase the amount of resources available for post-secondary studies. xii Prologue was a whirlwind and outpouring of care andcompassion. ofcare We awhirlwind andoutpouring was were help,ormakingdonations.It to makingvamps, organizing either run by a dedicated staff, we asked that we asked that by staff, adedicated run istypically typeofspacethat museum,oranother agallery, it was acommunity-owned spaceinto space.Even if their turn goes to happen.Weguide whatneededto spaceswhere asked the souls. merely acollective ofcaring and itwillneverbe.It’s attend. who members family loved support ones,andto and two-spirit lives sisters ofmissinganddisappeared ceremony honourthe to hold to except for cometogether communitiesto purpose other we care. demonstrate to away action,it’s communitytaking it’s art, it’s anhonouring, it’s ceremony, it’s acommemoration, It’s defescategorization. Sisters vamps, that respects. peoplewhohave pay cometo their the facing moccasins shoulderintheir shoulderto if women standing are as onebesideanother, is set up.Thevampsplacedinpairs, are andIwoke lodge, up. in the alone left untilIwas disappeared oneby oneeveryone us, andthen women followedher. Other aswell. We of alldanced,hundreds Ifollowed upwards. herhandsfaced dancewith to out andbegan besideme,walked Campbell, standing whowas ElderMaria then, singing.Just andstarted somemenappeared middle,and then the in appeared do.Suddenly whatto adrum wondering other, each looking at like that, rowsofusstanding three shoulder.to About shoulder edge, allaround the were women There lodges. standing longhousesorMidewewin kindyou seewith the a biglonglodge, families. We for andcare the thing. oursupport express neededto dosome- to like we neededandwanted sameway: the all feeling We ceremony to orgoalsandallowed the set noexpectations else.Andithasno guidesit.Nothing It iscompassion that calloutfor madethe beginning,whenIfrst atthe I thought, of installation basisofhow the the formed This dream in standing Iwas oneIhadbefore Edmonton, In my the dream, wwos wwos is not an organization. It’s never been registered neverbeenregistered It’s isnot anorganization. was an art exhibit. It isn’t. Walking With Our Itisn’t. exhibit. Walking anart With was wwos be entirely run by beentirely run wwos wwos

Prologue xiii

held many held many wwos began to be referred community members to by as . It was in what was installed the in , wwos The residential school survivors of Shingwauk Residential Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, was the ffth community to host At the beginning, Walking With theAt Walking beginning, Our Sisters out four set All who attend All are are welcome. equal. The memorial in each is Indigenous community led. Practice kindness, gentleness, and love. patience, are profits made. are all volunteers. one is paid. No No We School suggested that children’s a specifc call for be sent vamps out to survivors or family members of survivors via social media. themThe call invited to create a pair of children’s to vamps honour is a traditional ceremonial term to describe a collection of sacred items. a “bundle” because of the sacred items that trad- added by were itional ceremonial people at each along the stop way. Shingwauk Indian Residential School the inside former auditor- felt uncomfortable we ium of the school. Naturally, with this site. it was But the grandmothers Elders, and part who were of the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association, who brought such Withto beauty the Walking Our Sisters “bundle.” “Bundle” People of Manitoba, Families of Sisters in Spirit, the Youth Native Sexual Health Maisy’s Network, Foundation of Hope, Butterflies Bannock. and Got in Spirit, Sacred Journey, Awasis wwos We also have not accepted government accepted not resource- funding or have also We that Communities extraction hosted money. also fundraisedfundraisers. online with auctions to We raise continue but also share our proceeds only could not money so we with othercommunity groups Two-Spirited such as Tears4Justice, • • • • keepers could feel comfortable being there every to sustain day the ceremony. guiding principles. Everything flows do from we these principles: community and that and community the transformed space become into a sacred space where grandmothers, Elders, and traditional knowledge xiv Prologue never made it back home because they died as children at the at the diedaschildren homebecausethey never madeitback but schools residential whoattended children lives ofthe the advocacy groups, and other stakeholders. andother advocacy groups, organizations, Indigenous guidance andinput members, offamily would speci fcally seekthe phasethat by initiatinga “pre-inquiry” murdered women andmissingIndigenous andgirls andwomen into nationalinquiry itwould offcially beginthe announced that government newly| OnDecember8,2015, Trudeau elected the andpowerful. ceremony empowering space for was traditional space.Reclaimingthe asacred spaceinto known asatriggering was community.the in was memorial timethe entire for the kept was 24/7 outside that fre sacred the to offered was have Food afeast andeattogether. allofusdancingandgoingto moving. Theceremony endedwith and powerful Itwas Staffs. Eagle underthe centre down inthe vampsone by andlay upapairofchildren’s oneandpick them were invited come attendees to andother survivors and sang,the drummed song.Assingers ceremonydonewith was ofthe part Thelast them. helpbury hadto emotion,express evenwhenthey not were told to witnessed,andhow they they cousins, orfriends sisters, brothers, oftheir deaths spoke aboutthe passionately They were invited speak. to members family ortheir survivors passedaround,school andresidential was Afeather everyone. to were passedaround andberries Thewater berries. made for the were Prayers water. heldthe copperpailsthat were madeover the sungandprayers songwas awater that, After everyone. to tobacco passing andwith smudge with front. Theceremony began at the floor vamps onthe children’s were askedparents helplay to the their front.whocamewith Children were atthe Pipe carriers came. pathway. entire Many survivors school residential along the held insidethe schools. homefrom the way orontheir schools This is but one example of how a community transformed what This isbutoneexample ofhow acommunitytransformed end,108 were sentin. pairs In the wwos memorial. A hundred chairs were set up chairs Ahundred memorial. 1 Aspecialceremony was Prologue xv

- There 2 rcmp admitted there racist were rcmp presented back in 2012 are highly rcmp The statistics the On December 8, 2015, I heard the I heard minister of NorthernOn December 8, 2015, and Inquiry the is not this end all. Until be all and country willing is In the up to leading the days had conflicting I announcement, jurisdiction that factored are not into the overall count. There are deaths listed as suicides or accidental that families dispute investigated. There are two-spirit properly and feel not were and are still lingering of thoseare still many about how listed as questions in fact In addition, there“Jane Doe” may be Indigenous women. deathsare many listed as “suspicious,” but without evidence to support a homicide they listed as homicides. offcially are not thereAs well are outstanding fles that within are not the problematic. They cited 1,181 missing Indigenous women or girls, They citedproblematic. or girls, 1,181 missing Indigenous women but they they explain example, how for do not, determined the ethnicity particularly among those Indigenous of women, who been registered as a status have not Indian or aremay Métis. Indigenous Affairs “Racism and sexism this in Canada say, country thekills.” head of the The next day, police offcers in among the These are truths force. that Indigenous are the victims of systemic racism always We Peoples known. have and sexism that their have in the roots very formation of this country. to stare in the itself mirror and look to itself as the reason underlying our sisters homicide when up 25 per cent of all cases of make why 4 per cent of the are only we then population, only have will we taken the frst step towards fxing anything. of Karina and a person found fnally were was charged with Wolfe her death. And theChrisy named that, before woman day a young succumbed to the injuries she suffered violence, and a person by been chargedhas now with her death. It never stops. ment, especially because we had just emerged from over a decade emerged over had just from we because ment, especially of near draconian treatment at the the hands of Harper government. So many. Too I felt what wasBut mostly sadness. So many. a deep sense of sadness a deep gone. I felt only many missing. Too still many thefor families. In fact, the the before day the announcement, remains emotions—sometimes vacillating relief and bewilder between emotions—sometimes xvi Prologue missing Indigenous womenmissing Indigenous all butshouldbe.Andinadditionto murdered and ofthe not peoplewhoare aspart listed transgender or going missing. Ultimately, society and the service agencies set agencies or goingmissing.Ultimately, service society andthe beingmurdered higherincidenceofoursisters all have the leadto autonomy,from cultures, ourlanguages, governance— traditional forced severance continues today), (which the ofchildren removal from goodintentions. asborne can’t beargued certainly policies, for example, starvation government’s Thefederal tions.” simply uswas doneto outof“goodinten- was allthat that think to naïve settler assuage to guilt. It’s perpetrated was that propaganda lives andthe Peoples’ ofIndigenous devaluing the coincided with ourlands Islandoff inTurtle Peoples ofIndigenous atic removal possibly Thesystem- couldreach. outside Europe,they wherever placeeverywhere took they placehere; didn’t just take land grabs The resources. natural off world rich make to onize the themselves were competing andmonarchies col- to European countries that climbing. Thenumberof Thenumber of saying “lives.” whenwe shouldreally be about“numbers,” coldtalk issuch this have numbers beenclimbing.Allof since2012, the Infact, 1,200. higherthan much are numbers the above, listed reasons that the however, for all Idothink, numbers. withheld have deliberately ofthe statistics questionto the have not many beenoffcially are asmissing.There listed reasons police.Many missing missingbecauseofthe them wouldn’t report peoplemissing,orfamilies report wouldn’t to allow families policesimply time,the atthe missing loved ones andwhosay that, still whoare speakingabouttheir families are exist, butthere before 1980 don’t really for still example, are not Stats counted. systems, welfare child orwithin schools atresidential children of went missingorwhowere murdered before 1980. Thedeaths peoplewho women ortwo-spirit andchildren do not includethe the of this, The removal of Indigenous Peoples from our lands, the forced from ourlands,the Peoples ofIndigenous The removal nosecret It’s contact. to inCanadagoback The roots ofracism rcmp only went back thirty years in their count. They count.They intheir years only went thirty back lives that have beenrobbed orstolen. that lives lives rcmp that were cut short have been were cutshort that , but I don’t believe they , butIdon’t believethey

Prologue xvii - - was a few months prior to is about. The way the hundreds wwos wwos was up in the set centre and a large circle of wwos The last dream I had about The last It is the way the came together—the project overwhelming My experience With with Walking has Our Sisters, however, When Canadians judgeWhen Canadians themselves to and tolerant generous be It’s ingrained. The hatred, superiority, and racism the from time people were standingpeople were outside near the bleachers all the way Feast wasaround. food there. being sung. Elders Songs were were there. I turned Kappo, friend to Tanya my and member of the and compassion and love people are demonstrating and love is overwhelming.and compassion It’s the counter to the ugliness. It’s more need of. what we writing this piece. I was again in a large ceremonial space, this time an arena. caring to the families and girls. women of missing and murdered This is what the of whole And even the togetherof volunteers way work in each community. each drives community hundreds or thousands of miles to hand thedeliver The gentleness “bundle” to the community. next host have seen donations come pouringhave in to help with the memorial. seen tearsI have of sincere grief down flowing the cheeks of those all walksfrom life. of kindness, and feeling of wanting compassion, to express love, Somehow, in schools, Canada comes out unscathed as theSomehow, greatest country in the world. taught seen thousands, me to hope. I have and I mean thousands, side. I side by of volunteers, both working and non-Native Native citizens of Canada, and theycitizens of Canada, it. Each new even know gener don’t ation has been brainwashed education systems by that teach very little about us. They teach the nations, then founding myth of two all the skip over parts nasty conveniently about starvation poli removals,cies, forced and torture of children. is ugly. Genocide global citizens, why is there global citizens, why such vitriol towards Indigenous Peoples? contactof European has made its way into the subconscious of the up as protections for Canadians have failed have Canadians for justice, and us. Police protections up as with their issues of systemic own racism and sexism, are failing us. xviii

Prologue Edmonton, who was standing besideme,andsaid,“Iknow what standing whowas Edmonton, in installation frst for the national collective andamainorganizer 2. 1. notes violence. yet come.May to endthe we to fndaway littleones Mylove allofyou to the andto babies.” “Power the to for for future ina fre ourchildren. abetter put tobacco or sewedvamps,dress, hungared sang,blockaded, painted, books, or blogs,chapters, cooked, feasted, protested, written fasted, held avigil,litpipeorcandle,sweat, given offerings, proud. Itmakes medetermined. Thismakes me onceagain. avengeance. We rise with onthe are Youngcultures. andlanguages cultures upthe picking peopleare wipeoutourpeopleand to atus,trying throw Canada hadto time, we strong. are We beautiful. We are worst the have survived same But,atthe from collective grief. andsuffer fc tragedies horri women andcommunities.Yes, most the weface continueto exists amongIndigenous andbeautythat grace, resilience, of the among examples from ourcommunities,stretching decades, back ways. orceremonial ways traditional inconnectingwith and youth ways aboutthe think to I try world we leaving aboutthis are them. to tions constantly. Ithink genera- next aboutthe Ithink haschanged. my shift Since then we them.” canto andwe have children give to everything on the donow.to Drawing from Elder Maria Campbell, Iwould like from ElderMaria fnishwith to Drawing whohasmarched, person andevery each to I amsograteful for me,overall, I think, overview#sec3. en/missing-and-murdered-aboriginal-women-national-operational- Overview rcmp madein2014. vampssecond callfor was children’s asa pairs hundred approximately to three That numberhassincegrown ,

Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women:Missing andMurdered ANational Aboriginal Operational It has to be all about the children; ourfocus be hasto children; beallaboutthe It hasto (: (Ottawa: rcmp wwos , 2014), 7,, 2014), http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ wwos has been yet another example hasbeenyet another can be used to help children help children canbeusedto

Acknowledgements xix

we acknowledge the work of family, friends, and advo- cates who toiled for decades when no one was listening, and who never gave up on the struggle to bring awareness to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit peoples. We acknowledge all who were murdered and continue to go uncounted and unnamed. We acknowledge all the strength and resilience within Indigenous communities.

Introduction xxi

kim anderson

Every time I see a photo of an Indigenous woman or girl who has gone missing, I feel my spirit tighten inside of me. —helen knott, this volume

in the winter of 2012, Michif artist Christi Belcourt was driving to Ottawa from her home near Sudbury, Ontario, and she kept thinking about something that had lodged in her spirit. It was the poster of a young missing Indigenous woman she had seen on Facebook. A girl who had been missing for years. A poster circu- lated by the family. Like all Indigenous women in Canada, Christi was well familiar with the issue. For many of us—as described by Helen Knott above— every photo, every story of a missing and murdered Indigenous woman is deeply internalized. We can experience gnawing feelings of fear, trauma, or threat to our own safety and that of our sisters, daughters, nieces, mothers, aunties, and grandmothers. But what followed Christi as she drove along that evening were thoughts about the family. Being a mother herself, she became overwhelmed with a sense of compassion for the girl’s mother. What unspeakable xxii

Introduction And what about all the other families ofmissingandmurdered families other And whataboutallthe missingendure? ofthe mother must the andgrief trauma, worry, preparation and commitment. As such, it has been a tremendous ithasbeenatremendous andcommitment.Assuch, preparation andwidespread extensive requires become aceremony that of touring work inthe This collaborative has sincebeenreplicated beyond, community, creating process. kinship,and dialogueinthe and Americas across the formed community beadinggroups bead,andnew to got together act.Families commemorative iswidely anddeeply felt. issue that callhadclearly onan touched Christi’s and300children’s. pairs were over 2,000women’s end,there of vamps. Inthe pairs 1,763 smallpost offcenearherhome,andby Augustthe shehadover daily at arriving Butby July,received 200pairs. boxes started the shehadonly that concerned andshewas duedate, before their summer, herearly to not long that vamps. talking Irecall their missingandmurdered relations. the commemorate visit,honour, to oneway and Itwould offer oursisters.” with could“walk allies,andcommunitymembers friends, families, sothat them would arrange to fndaway women, andChristi the lives of interrupted unfnished moccasinswould the represent compiled Native Women’s by the AssociationofCanada.The missingormurdered accordingalist to time,were reported that over women Indigenous sixhundred who,at the represent to ofmoccasins, part beadedtop for sendinvamps—the peopleto ( OurSisters would becomeWalkingtion that With installa- commemorative beginningofthe the Thiswas formed.” fully ideawas the anyone.come to timeIgot Ottawa, to Butby the “Itcouldhave Sheexplains, just my poppedinto head.” arrived; womenIndigenous andgirls? wwos The beading of these vamps was the start ofacollective start the vamps was The beadingofthese sendin to ofoneyear for participants set atimeframe Christi putoutacallonsocial media When shegot home,Christi anidea“just it,isthat describes asChristi What happenednext, , as each community visit of two to three weeks has weeks community visitoftwo, aseach three to wwos ). Introduction xxiii

. At . At wwos The work The work 3 report, which mmiwg2s national collective researchers note, ) documented that companion literature companion There is work that There is work 4 lsc 1 lsc wwos wwos Stolen SistersStolen This initiative follows ten follows This initiative years of 2 ). Those who “walk). Those who with sisters”help but ask, can’t wanted moreinformation about the missing and Writing about the issue is not new, and we are indebtedWriting and we to about the new, issue is not From the it was outset, apparent that participants and visitors wwos mmiwg2s “only a few of the“only more than 700 recommendations in these reports implemented.” fully ever been have of Indigenous women, families,of Indigenous women, and their has thus allies been both persistent the and consistent; 2015, Legal by Strategy Coalition on Violence Against ( Indigenous women ffty separate reports had been written on missing and murdered as the Unfortunately, Indigenous women. repeated requests for a national inquiryrepeated for requests other and Indigenous calls been supportedto have action substantial by evidence, reporting, and recommendations, with the literature gradually increasing International’ssince Amnesty 2004 Jacobs describesBeverly in her chapter in this volume. peoples, institutions, and governmentspeoples, institutions, on focus the of writing, time the example, for Government of Canada had Inquiry launched a National recently into Missing and Murdered and Girls. Indigenous Women theinaction and dismissal by previous federal government. The about missing and murdered Indigenous women, and her vision Indigenous women, about missing and murdered resulted in this book. researchers,the of activists, writers, work and scholars us. before Because of them starting are slowly we to see non-Indigenous standing also those were questions of the Elder Maria who was simultaneously on a Campbell, working Trudeau Foundation–funded research about the project of roots violence against Maria Indigenous women. determined that it benefcial to be some produce would to and two-sprit girls, Indigenous peoples women, murdered ( is this long- These it stop? make why can we happening? How demonstrationof caring. By the of the end tour in 2018, visited thirty-onewill have communities. xxiv

Introduction research and writing in the interest ofchange. interest inthe andwriting research to andcontinualattention bedone,includingrelentless to remains early reporting, including the Amnesty International Amnesty International includingthe early reporting, andprovides years onsomeofthe aninside view over the with sheworked manyBeverly families someofthe introduces usto of Canada( Native Women’s ofthe presidency work the Association ledherto ofherwork asa history work together. whenthey power ofsisters ofthe a celebration keep needto working ofthe and reminder a sobering both are here activism on and leadership, forefront ofattention, have longbeenatthe Womenand girls.” from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside ( women violence ofmissingandmurdered Indigenous gendered colonial inthe codeinCanada” and an“epicentre postal reserve poorest off- as“the authors in Vancouver, by the azonedescribed Downtown Eastsidewomen Power from ofWomen the Group by iswritten chapter Thefrst womenIndigenous andfamilies. ofdaily, for ispart trauma lived andrelated experience crisis the that foreground OurRelations”aswe wishto “All families. women ofIndigenous and narratives inthe grounded always andproblematic notions involved“tradition,” in“helping”— inworking violence,challenges with aslateral such topics versial andvoices, oncontro andtouches stories innew book brings peoples.Our andactivismofIndigenous resilience, resistance, the painithascausedand roots ofviolence,the documentthe books Indigenous Women andGirls inCanada ofMissingandMurdered HiddenCrisis Exposingthe Loved: Forever fromand Action MissingIndigenous the Women Conference including with missing andmurdered women Indigenous andgirls inCanada, Following the the Following with We four bookinto sections,starting have dividedthe on scholarly anthologies other We with walk to honoured are nwac mmiwg2s Torn from Our Midst: VoicesTorn Healing, from ofGrief, OurMidst: dtes ), a position that she held from 2004 to 2009. sheheldfrom 2004to ), apositionthat chapter, Beverly Jacobs describes the the chapter, Beverly Jacobsdescribes mmiwg2s in Canada, and the stories of the sisters sisters ofthe stories inCanada,andthe activist andadvocate. This . 5 Like our work these here, Stolen Sisters mmiwg2s and dtes -

)

Introduction xxv - — 6 and , their question dissertation on mmiwg2s phd mmiwg campaign of the campaign Sandra same name. is, indeed, a national sociological nwac We are lucky to have an essay in this an essay are lucky to have section by We 7 mmiwg2s Robyn’s chapter provides a historical chapter provides Robyn’s and sociological 8 . Other chapters in this together section weave personal histories The second section of the book draws attention to “ The The fnal chapter the in “All Relations” section tells Our the to the racist narratives commonplace that grand caused her settler mother to be horri fed when her white father married her Cree mother in 1949. She links twentieth-century racism misogynist to issue of concern, not simply an issue of “crime”issue of concern, simply not as former Prime Minister Stephen Harper so infamously stated. with colonial histories of violence. Michelle Good tells a story that draws us into mid-twentieth-century prairie life, calling attention these arguments. Bourgeois, a Cree scholarRobyn who did her mmiwg2s mapping, offering to introduction an excellent thatproving the Violence of History.” the by As noted Legal Strategy Coalition, thefty f reports under their review “a general showed consensus about the causes of violence against root Indigenous women” and as scholars, adding to evidence need to support in keep we of They point out that the of family voices members are often unheard. on the embark As we Inquiry National on familiesabout how can remain the centred amidst flurry of activity consultants,dominated by Indigenous organizations, academics, and government and relevant. offcials is timely story a Nuu-chah-nulth Jones Sebastian, of Elsie who woman This 1992. in Eastside Downtown disappeared Vancouver’s from story Elsie’s is told by daughter with friend Sarah Hunt, who ask the can Elsie’s “How question, story and her life honoured?” be heard with experience about her an essay of multi-generational missing the and women and murdered inadequate police response. sadly She shares teachings of the “all of which hoop dance, encompasses life—the good and the bad,” as the through dancer pushes struggle to regeneration. a position of hope and report that to led the Lamouche’s chapter then on immediate focuses family relations, xxvi

Introduction “founding fathers.” This chapter draws particular attention to to attention particular draws Thischapter “founding fathers.” onIndigenous violenceinflicted women by someofCanada’s the and silencing that happens in her home community of Fort happensinherhomecommunity ofFort and silencingthat violence sexual about the sections. HelenKnottprevious writes were discussedinthe ofcolonialismandviolencethat ries histo the to ourcommunities, connectingthem violence within of effort.” kind that women plightofmissingIndigenous isworth if the by achallenge “wonder[ing] offers belonging.Maya resilient culturally ahomeofIndigenous callsfor collectivelychapter usto re-create Her provide to placeofreturning. asafe fail that supports systemic contemporary inadequate Canadiancolonialism,andthe thought, of an“IndianProblem” outofEuropean Enlightenment construction the to isconnected how herstory demonstrates Maya Murdered.” spacebetween BeingMissingand girl, livinginside“that ofhow bea missing Indigenous shecameto inherstory graphical poetic, andautobio- theoretical, second section,combiningthe resist. andto personhood, womenShinnecock their have assert continually to found ways history, demonstrates, asherchapter and girls. ofthis Inspite women protected that andsocialsystems legal Indigenous the women Indigenous rendered “inherently violable”anddisplaced century, seventeenth inthe andEnglish Dutch the with starting in law andanthropology, systems, how sheshows coloniallegal onhertraining IndianNationShinnecock ofLongIsland.Drawing of her people,the aspecifccase:that with violence ofhistory women. “know” entirety aboutIndigenous ofwhatsettlers the tute consti rhymes—and often which nursery tell—like well-versed Canadianscontinueto that stories racist everyday the underpins usedanddiscarded” bebartered, to “as commoditiesorcurrency stereotyping women ofIndigenous how nineteenth-century The third section engages often unspoken questions of lateral unspoken questions oflateral often sectionengages The third inthe fnalchapter Chacaby provides the Ode’amik Maya provides ofthe evidence then chapter Leonard’s Kelsey

- - Introduction xxvii -

While not the While not of this focus book, 9 work,Alex and as Wilson points often violence against on settler focuses mmiwg2s mmiwg2s Waaseyaa’sin ChristineWaaseyaa’sin about questions Sy raises provocative In Chapter 11,In Chapter Robert Innes and I raise about Indigenous questions Another area of both lateral non-lateral and involves violence ogynist renderingsogynist of “traditional” stories contribute to normalizing violence against using the Indigenous women, of the example In her chapter at theAnishinaabeg story end of of Wenonah. we recognize and assertwe that violence against all Indigenous people, of all genders, end. must male dominance, and violence are perpetuated patriarchy, how in our communities through the stories tell. we She asks mis- how men and groups that are taking leadership to end violence against And althoughIndigenous women. dealt with not in this book, we are starting coming together to see work regarding the issue of violence against murdered and men, including Indigenous boys and missing Indigenous men. work to end work feelit is critical While we Indigenous women. to draw attention to the perpetrated violence that stress Indigenous men, we by col- onial, contextual, and social determinant factors be at the must heart of Indigenous hopeful examples also provide of these discussions. We of contemporary spaces of two-spirit resurgence how to show “two-spirit identity is one way in which balance is being restored to communities.” our men as perpetrators of violence—“the moose in the room”—as members to be targets are more likely receiving of violence, while fewer supports. Alex offers a much-needed critique patri of how the behaviours, get and homophobia regulation of women’s archy, into what is considered tradition.woven She offers a wonderful grounding in stories Cree upbringing of her Swampy and in stories the oil industry brings in the violence of “man-camps.” two-spirit and trans too has received people. This subject little attention within two-spiritout in her chapter, and trans-identifed community St. British John, Much Columbia. of this is connected abuse to the rape the of land—which is rampant Helen’s in territory and where xxviii

Introduction examples of stories that allow us to think beyond heteropatriachal beyond heteropatriachal allow think usto that examples ofstories gives Simpson section,LeanneBetasamosake then third the valuable summary of activism and strategies to end to ofactivism andstrategies summary valuable provides ofbeading.Thischapter ontology sacred a the ity through and Kimberly show how Robertson JenellNavarro, Harjo, Laura Authors OurSisters. of Walking With activism as itdocumentsthe book, ofthe origins the to us fullcircle brings violence.Thefnalchapter fuelsthe stream stereotyping that healingfor women, main and addressing healing for perpetrators, includes approach” that hersuggestion for a“three-prong underpin asacounsellor ofexperience twenty years Pahan’s being attacked.” whileshewas were andafraid bed,trembling hidingunderthe Ihadworked They women that with. sonsofthe men were the for men.Asshepointsout,“These her work asanElderinaprison womenworking whohave beenvictimsofabuseandabout with found bemurdered. to later in2004andwas whowent missingin student andmother Bosse, aundergraduate ofDaleen family foremotional, the andpubliclobbying support provided fnancial, ofhow they story the with by starting this of centre ilies must beatthe how shows Theirchapter fam- inSaskatoon. community group IskwewukE-wichiwitochik inthe ofparticipation story their activism,sharing Bouviermapoutamodelfor grassroots Rita section, Darlene Okemaysim-Sicotte,in this and SusanGingell, chapter frst Inthe ongoingpresence. aswell asavibrant history protect activism to women andhonourIndigenous hasalong that land. andofaki,the child, (andgenderless) ofabrave andself-determination agency the celebrates that ofresurgence byastory fnishes herchapter telling Leanne from ElderEdnaManitowabi. story Anshinaabek creation awoman’s ofthe version uponhearing sheexperienced validation the about andwrites work, fluidityinLouiseErdrich’s gender the at Shelooks stories. andcontemporary of“traditional” versions In the chapter that follows, Pahan Pte San Win writes about writes SanWin Pte follows, Pahan that chapter In the demonstrates Always” “Action, The fnalsectionofourbook, mmiwg2s wwos work; the authors model authors work; the has engaged commun- hasengaged mmiwg2s

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Introduction xxix

. Ekosi. , see www.walkingwithoursisters.ca, as mmiwg2s 27, no. 3/4 (2003): 593–606. no. 3/4 27, wwos Stolen Sisters:Stolen A Human Rights Response to national collective and friends. We held this and friends. national collective meeting We Women in Downtown Eastside Vancouver Emerging into Visibility,” Vancouver Eastside in Downtown Women American Indian Quarterly Amnesty International,Amnesty Discrimination in Canada and Violence Women against Indigenous (Ottawa: International, Amnesty 2004), https://www.amnesty.ca/sites/ fles/amr200032004enstolensisters.pdf.amnesty/ One of the earliest in the calls to of attention Eastside work came out of Downtown scholarly See Dara Culhane, “Vancouver. Their Spirits within Live Us: Aboriginal For more information on as thewell fnal chapter in this book. For more information about the Inquiry National into Missing and www.mmiwg-ffada.ca. see and Girls, Indigenous Women Murdered wwos Finally, we decided to use the we Finally, mother language of the editors by We conclude the with book We that an epilogue was carved out of 3. notes 1. 2. volume. We give thanks give to everyone We volume. who takes up this important to thework; helpers, to the writers, to the families, and especially to the children/descendants of begins its own walk.begins its own including the as part “Keetsahnak” Cree of the word title. It means “Our Sisters,”simply and is intended our kinship with to show the form whose lives women the heart of the installation and this to this discuss insights from collection, draw attention to gaps in What occurred was a pathour work, and set a follow. what may for of storytelling,remarkable weekend language life lessons, lessons, and critical readings that serve will hopefully the as a model for and actions our book might engenderkinds of discussions as it storytelling maintains via beadwork a cultural legacy that settlers been able to eliminate.” not have that meeting held in January we a two-day with 2016 members of the not the least of which involves dismantling dehumanizing stories dehumanizing dismantling thenot of which involves least and then telling new the ones. As authors out, “the point of power