The 10th annual Sisters in Spirit Memorial Walk and Candlelight Vigil will be marked by the end of a long term, special project.
The 2019 program will begin with the unveiling of a monument to commemorate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2-Spirit Peoples. The etched in pipestone, jingle dress dancer monument named Spirit Sisters Rock, will be unveiled at its new home along the Muskoseepi Park Trails near Grande Prairie Regional College.
Project Coordinator Delaine Lambert-English says while the event honours missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirited people, it is a discussion that people from every corner of the world should be taking part in.
“Violence against women is something that affects everyone no matter what background you come from, it does not discriminate,” she says.
“But in the case of Indigenous women, the stats are a lot higher. Just by being born Indigenous, there is a higher risk for an Indigenous woman to die violently.”
Lambert-English says events like the Sisters in Spirit Memorial Walk and Candlelight Vigil gives people who are living with pain to come together in a safe environment with those who share in how they feel.
“I think it’s really important to have that honest conversation and have people speak about their experiences. The family members come together to share their stories and there is a huge healing aspect that comes along with this event.”
The program starts on Friday, October 4th at 5:00 p.m. at the memorial rock at GPRC. Attendees are asked to wear blue in solidarity with Sisters in Spirit.