A monument dedicated to Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People (MMIWG) now faces the Highway of Tears in Prince George.
In a both joyful and sombre ceremony, the Prince George Red Dress Society (PGRDS) unveiled the monument, which is located on the corner of Highway 16 and Ferry Avenue, as part of the annual Red Dress Campaign.
Red Dress Society member Brenda Wilson-John said they met with families who’ve lost a loved one the day before the unveiling to offer support ahead of the ceremony.
“There were tears and joy, and we really ensured that we were there to support them, that we all supported each other because that's what this is all about — that we're not feeling alone,” said Wilson-John.
Wilson-John’s sister Ramona went missing in 1994 in Smithers, B.C. and her body was discovered a year later in a wooded area by the Smithers airport but her case is still unsolved.
Wilson-John now works as the Highway of Tears co-ordinator, a position hosted by Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS), and has spent her career raising awareness for the murdered and missing along the 724 kilometre length of Highway 16.
It is now commonly referred to as the Highway of Tears because it’s been the location of many murders and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls dating back to the 1970s.
One of the recommendations that came out of the 2006 Highway of Tears Symposium Report was to have monuments around Highway 16 in every community to raise awareness.
In 2019, the PGRDS was provided with funding by the federal government under the department for women and gender equality with the endorsement of Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, to design and install a monument.
However, installation of the monument was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but after two-years of planning and in a ceremony attended by over a hundred supporters, the monument was finally unveiled to the public.
“They now know that this is a place they can come when they feel alone and to remember what happened here today and have that in their mind — how beautiful it is, and how there are so many people out here supporting them,” said Wilson-John.
“We're not alone anymore, in this whole thing, you know, we have backup now.”
The monument is a larger-than-life-size red dress and in front of the dress is a black silhouette of a regalia dancer.
“This monument is inclusive, and it represents all walks of life and together we give a voice to ensure they are not forgotten and that means so much to our families, that our loved ones are not forgotten,” said Wilson-John.
“That they will always be remembered that they were a part of Mother Earth and that they walked on this Earth.”
Red Dresses have been widely adopted as a symbol to raise awareness for murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls since Métis artist Jamie Black’s 2010 art project.
“Today is a great day for not just Prince George but for so, so many people,” said Tammy Miese, president of the PGRDS, who has been organizing Red Dress events in Prince George since 2015.
Miese lost her childhood best friend Kari Anne Gordon, who went missing and was found murdered in 1998.
“The Red Dress Campaign is very much a unique journey for each and every person,” said Miese.
“When I started this journey for myself, I was overwhelmed with how many people are affected, how many people know somebody that is missing or somebody that's been murdered and it is still happening.”
She said having this monument overlooking Highway 16 will give families the opportunities to honour the lives of their loved ones and their legacy.
“They feel that finally their loved ones are honoured. They're going to remember them every single time that somebody sees it and they have a place to come just to be in the moment.”
Miese also added noted how important it was to delay the monument project through the pandemic so the community could have the opportunity to come together.
“This needs to be a gathering we need to be together face to face, we need to see each other, we need to feel one another. Like I've always said, a community is not geographically where you live, it's a sense of feeling and a sense of belonging.”
For Teddy Antoine, the monument is more meaningful than words can express.
Antoine is a member of the PGRDS whose brother Scott went missing in 2000. He now works with the B.C Family Information Liaison Unit to provide support for families who’ve had men and boys go missing.
“When my brother went missing, there was nothing in place and I felt so alone but I lived through it. I lived through that experience to express to the men that there is help out there,” said Antoine. “It's okay to cry, it's okay to lean on a shoulder and most of all, it's always okay to reach out for support.”
Antoine said it was emotional because he could feel the presence of this brother during the ceremony.
“I don't know what to say but I really truly feel that my brother's here along with all the other family members that are gone to the other side, and just the support of having other families to join in, this is just rewarding. It’s positive and it feels good.”
After the unveiling of the monument, the community brought the red dresses to Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park where they were hung in the trees throughout the park.
The event also provided an opportunity for guest speakers, entertainment, and space for families to come together.
