Unified strength bellowed from TofinoB次元官网网址檚 First Street Dock on Sunday morning as a cross-Island memorial walk to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, men and children set off from Tofino.
The walk, entitled B次元官网网址楬onouring Our Children: Remember Their Names,B次元官网网址� began in Tofino on May 29 and is expected to end at the BC Legislature in Victoria on June 4.
Grieving Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation mothers Martha Martin and Carol Manson linked arms to lead SundayB次元官网网址檚 roughly 40-kilometre walk from Tofino to the West Coast junction.
MansonB次元官网网址檚 son Julian Jones was shot and killed by Tofino RCMP on Feb. 27, 2021. The shooting is currently under investigation by the Independent Investigations Office of BC.
MartinB次元官网网址檚 daughter Chantel Moore was shot and killed by a police officer during a wellness check at her home in Edmundston, New Brunswick, on June 4, 2020.
MartinB次元官网网址檚 son Mike Martin died in police custody just five months later.
The jury in an inquest into MooreB次元官网网址檚 death , and the familyB次元官网网址檚 lawyer recently announced a civil suit will be filed against the Edmundston police.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e gathered to bring more awareness to the deaths of people who have lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement and to bring more light to it,B次元官网网址� Martin told the Westerly B次元官网网址 at the dock on Sunday. B次元官网网址淲e lose people by shootings and nobody ever talks about it and not everybody is lucky enough to get an inquiry for their children, so this is to bring more awareness and to honour our children as well.B次元官网网址�
She added that gathering together is important to share strength and healing while putting a spotlight on the tragedies First Nations families are experiencing.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very important. These things take place and nobody talks about them, they just end up being swept up under the rug and we still keep losing people,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淔or me, it was really hard. You never think that it can happen to you and then it happensB次元官网网址hedding light onto it, for me, has been about pushing myself harder to fight for that change so that no other mother has to do this.B次元官网网址�
Prior to the walk setting off, Ahousaht First Nation members joined the gathering at the dock to share songs and prayers.
B次元官网网址淭he most important thing is to support our other Nations in the Nuu-chah-nulth area in such an event thatB次元官网网址檚 to bring awareness,B次元官网网址� Ahousaht cultural support worker Walter Thomas told the Westerly. B次元官网网址淚t hurts. It hurts definitely. The heart breaks to see people suffer a loss in such a manner. ItB次元官网网址檚 heartbreaking, but to share songs and culture is what helps us ease our hearts.B次元官网网址�
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation member Anna Masso participated in a walk to honour MooreB次元官网网址檚 legacy last year and returned to repeat the experience this year.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 our culture. We get strength from each otherB次元官网网址e need to create this awareness. We really need to stay the course and support Martha,B次元官网网址� she said, adding she was prepared for an emotional journey. B次元官网网址淚t drains youB次元官网网址his year, once we finish up at the Ucluelet junction, IB次元官网网址檒l go home to Port Alberni and have a debriefing set up to help me deal with how weak I am going to feel after this and the week forward. We get a lot of cultural support from our own people and our ways. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what we rely on.B次元官网网址�
The B次元官网网址楬onouring Our Children: Remember Their NamesB次元官网网址� memorial walk was expected to continue on Monday at 9 a.m. from Port Alberni to Parksville before heading into Nanaimo on May 31 and arriving at the Legislature on June 4.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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