Kerri-Ann Medicine Shield (right) with her sister Selena as the film "Spirit of the Bluebird" plays during the event on Oct. 4, 2019 (Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

Lethbridge College students honour missing and murdered Indigenous women

Oct 4, 2019 | 12:15 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Today is Sisters in Spirit Day.

It’s a time to recognize and honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Students at Lethbridge College organized a special event at the institution Friday morning.

There were speeches, traditional song and a screening of the short animated film “Spirit of the Bluebird”, which pays tribute to Gloria Black Plume, a member of the Blackfoot Nation who was murdered in Calgary in 1999.

No one was charged in her death.

Her granddaughter Kerri-Ann Medicine Shield spoke at the event on the impact her grandmother’s murder has had on her life.

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“I think that in general it is hard to talk about (Black Plume’s murder and lack of charges), and she died before I was born so I didn’t really know who she was. But her story will be always told by our family because we like to advocate for missing, murdered women and girls – and boys,” she said.

Medicine Shield said that sharing her grandmother’s story is a way to keep her spirit alive. She added that Lethbridge College and its Sisters in Spirit group felt it was important to get students involved.

RED DRESSES

Keirsten Standing Alone helped set up the event and said it was important to get everyone involved.

“I feel like we need to bring awareness [to] everyone of different races, different age categories and I think that students here can make a difference, a positive difference and bring [that] here,” she said.

“I feel very proud of it and being able to represent my people.”

Standing Alone wore a ribbon symbolizing the red dress movement – to commemorate the Indigenous lives lost.

The event not only recognized Gloria Black Plume, but Beverly Ann Rowbotham (left), who was killed in 2000. Pictured in the centre are the faceless dolls (Lethbridge News Now)

“It kind of frustrates me because not a lot of action is done with it – with the statistics (on missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls) growing and growing but I feel like bringing awareness, like with these events will help do that and bring awareness.”

Another piece on display at the ceremony was a variety of “faceless” dolls.

Standing Alone said the dolls are another way to honour the missing and murdered.

“We’re going to offer them at the sun dance on the reserve,” she said.

Residents can support missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and their families tonight. Anyone interested in taking part can go to Lethbridge City Hall at 6:30 p.m.

From there, participants will walk down to Galt Gardens for a candlelit vigil.