Hundreds gather for Memorial Round Dance honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
By Kelly Anne Smith
NIPISSING FIRST NATION – The 2018 Memorial Round Dance to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls drew hundreds to Nbisiing Secondary School Saturday night.
Coordinated by the social department of the Anishinabek Nation, the Memorial Round Dance was the finale to two days of events to support families and loved ones of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls, Transgendered & Two-Spirited, Men & Boys.
Maggie Cywink was there as a family member of a Murdered and Missing Indigenous Woman or Girl. Her sister Sonya Nadine Mae Cywink was murdered in 1994. Sonya was only 31.
From Whitefish River First Nation, Maggie Cywink is now the Special Advisor for the Ministry of the Attorney General for the MMIWG Inquiry and working with families all across the province. Cywink is encouraged about the effects of the Anishinabek Nation social events aimed at healing.
“It’s a really good concept, a really good idea, and we need to include families in the organizing of it. I think it is really important for the Chiefs and First Nations to be including families at gatherings like this. It should be centered on what families need,” said Cywink.
“When a person begins the healing, and continues to do the healing, they’re ok. But there are people that haven’t been able to do any closure, they haven’t been able to get through the stages, like the anger, the grief. All of the grief work has to be an ongoing thing,” Cywink continued. “It can’t be a one-time thing, and ‘oh, I’m healed.’ Healing doesn’t happen that way. So, the more we have gatherings like this, the better families will be and the more they will feel included and accepted.”
The coordinator for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Transgendered and 2Spirited, Men and Boys at Anishinabek Nation Rebecca Timms explained the intent of the event.
“The Memorial Round Dance takes place to honour our loved ones. We invited the families of murdered and missing loved ones to join us in that. The Blanket of Hope is hanging at the Memorial Round Dance,” said Timms.
Timms educates with the blanket adorned with angels and earrings representing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. “It’s part of my bundle that goes everywhere with me.”
On the Blanket of Hope, is an earring designed by Nipissing First Nation citizen Laurie McLeod-Shabogesic to honour Maisy Odjick missing from Kitigan Zibi First Nation since September 6, 2008.
Timms explains the importance of two Staffs which were at the Memorial Round Dance.
“One was brought by a group of youth walkers, who are conducting a prayer walk across Canada to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered (See Da-namaamin Moseyang giw-ganchigaazjig Kwewag).”
The other staff we have on hand is the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Men and Boys Eagle Staff. The carrier is John Fox.”
The opening of the Memorial Round Dance was an honour song with 28 men singing in the centre of a large circle of dancers – women, men, children, all purposefully moving to the men’s beating hand drums. The singing and dancing continued past the midnight hour.