by Ashley M.
“They trespass our bodies, like they trespass our land… we fail them…This war is at home… Under treaties of silence.” —Ryan Red Corn
People gather outside the Police Headquarters in Toronto in remembrance and struggle on the disappearances of indiegnous women.
According to research conducted by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NAWC), over 600 indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing in the last 30 years and the government of Canada has been actively complicit in this violence.
On February 14, 2012, I joined the many people gathered in front of police headquarters to remember lives lost. No More Silence, The Native Youth Sexual Health Network, The Native Women’s Resource Centre and other Indigenous and feminist organizations were part of the Toronto organizing committee of the 7th Annual February 14 No More Silence National Day of Action.
The Toronto demonstration was just one the many held nationally on this day; part of the ongoing independent efforts nationally to raise awareness and actively mobilize communities to end violence against Indigenous women.
Through music, stories, poetry and spoken word, men, women and children, allies, friends and family gathered to remember all those who have lost their lives because of indifference. Community members showed support for the family members of those who have lost their mothers, daughters, wives, sisters and friends whereas the government has chosen not to.
Audrey Huntley writes in a New Socialist article that “No More Silence has always understood the disappearances in the context of ongoing genocidal policies.”
Genocidal tactics like the residential school system that aimed to apprehend children from their own communities and assimilate them into ‘society’.
“ Justice Murray Sinclair says the United Nations defines genocide to include the removal of children based on race, then placing them with another race to indoctrinate them… for the purpose of racial indoctrination was—and is—an act of genocide and it occurs all around the world,” citing an article excerpt by Chinta Puxley.
For Krysta Williams, one of the organizers part of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network, the rally is important because, “It’s about remembering because so much of colonization is about forgetting—who we are, whose land you’re on, our languages, etc. I would also say that this doesn’t ‘impact’ our work so much as it informs it. What we do in community, at the grassroots is what informs and drives the rest of the work.”
She reflects on the words of Wanda Whitebird (who conducted the ceremony this year and for the last 7 years, “We made a promise to the women who have passed on that we would do this every year.”
The demonstration was followed by a community feast and open mic at the 519 Church Street Community Centre. The open mic allowed people to speak about their struggles, triumphs and pain of dealing with the loss of their loved ones coupled with the painful indifference of lawmakers but emphasizing the need to continue the fight for justice.
A beautiful video poem was screened called, “ To the Indigenous Woman ”. The powerful film was made by the 1491s, and was written and performed by Ryan Red Corn.
“The film really highlights everyone’s complicity in violence, and from the perspective of someone who, in the film, has committed violence” said Krysta. The film was created to raise awareness to end the epidemic of violence against Native Women in the U.S. for the Indian Law Resource Center legal campaign, www.indianlaw.org .
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was created in 1979 by the UN General Assembly and is often seen as an international human rights policy foundation just for women.
When asked what the February 14th Committee’s future plans were, Krysta said, “We’re currently taking our lead from women in the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver who are wanting to pressure the Canadian federal government in making sure they agree to the inquiry. There’s been some confusion around how the optional protocol works (which Canada signed and ratified in 2002) and whether CEDAW has officially made a decision to investigate Canada.”
The ultimate goal: raise their voices and continue to push for an investigation that there are indeed violations of CEDAW and that this violence in unacceptable.
The memorial will carry on until this inquiry begins, until the violence stops, action is taken and will continue to be organized to remember those that are not forgotten.
The murders and disappearances of Indigenous women for over 30 years, and the government’s inaction, makes us ask: how is that possible in a supposed ‘democratic, developed, progressive’ country like Canada with policies that shun violence against women on paper? It begs the question, what kind of women are the priority?
Are we not all protected by the laws that grant us ‘freedom’ from violence? What’s so different in the case of Indigenous women? It is clear to me that the state is sending the message that Indigenous women don’t matter by actively ignoring the issue, thus promoting indifference to all settlers.
It’s important to understand the colonial genocidal remnants of the justice system. As settlers on this land, it’s important for us to understand our role in seeking justice for all by looking past what has been taught to us (such as being grateful for being ‘accepted’ into Canada) and look back on what really happened after colonization.
Understanding that these policies that have been put in place have affected settlers who have come here and are continually exploited by the state is important as well.
“ Reflecting back on organizing such an important vigil, is there anything that you want to say to our readers?”, I asked.
She replied, “Come out next year! Oh and settlers, remember whose land you’re on!”
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