More Than 200 Posters Honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous People at Edmonton Awareness Event

By Chevi Rabbit, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(ANNews) – More than 200 posters honouring missing and murdered Indigenous people lined the fence at Empire Park near Southgate Mall in Edmonton as community members gathered for a day of remembrance, awareness, and education.

The grassroots event was organized by Treaty 6 First Nation member Lee Dreaver, who created the gathering to bring attention to the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+).

Dreaver said she intentionally uses the term “Indian” when discussing the issue because of its connection to treaty language.

“I use the term Indian because of its use in our treaties,” Dreaver said. “If we do not acknowledge that, it changes it and could invalidate the treaties.”

The event took place from noon until 7 p.m. at Empire Park by Southgate Mall. Throughout the day, participants gathered every hour to sing songs in honour of missing and murdered Indigenous people.

More than 200 posters were displayed along the baseball field fence, featuring individuals whose stories continue to impact families and communities.

Dreaver said the purpose of the event was not only to remember those who are missing and murdered, but also to challenge harmful stereotypes and change how Indigenous people are viewed.

“It’s important for people to see because I want to change the narrative on how people see us,” Dreaver said. “There’s a lot of stigma out there, stereotypes, and how we’re viewed. I’m hoping that this can increase the awareness and change the narrative of our people.”

The issue of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people has been recognized as a national human rights crisis. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its final report in 2019, identifying systemic discrimination, colonialism, and social and economic inequalities as contributing factors to the ongoing violence.

According to Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census, Indigenous Peoples make up approximately 5 per cent of Canada’s population. Despite representing a smaller portion of the population, Indigenous people continue to experience disproportionate impacts in areas including violence, incarceration, and access to services.

Dreaver said the event created space for many different emotional responses from those who attended. “The attendance was kind of low, but that’s all right,” she said. “It’s a very heavy event to put on.”

Those who attended shared stories, memories, and personal connections. “Some of them were crying,” Dreaver said. “Others who came to see had cried or shared their own experience with it, or about their family members.”

Families of missing and murdered loved ones also attended and expressed appreciation for the effort to keep their relatives’ names and stories visible.

“We also had family members come and say that they were grateful that our family was bringing awareness to this.”

However, Dreaver said the event was also met with racist reactions from some members of the public.

She said some incidents occurred while organizers were putting up the posters, when people approached to ask what the display was about. After learning it focused on missing and murdered Indigenous people, Dreaver said some individuals responded with racist and dismissive comments.

“When we were putting up the posters, some people would walk by and ask what it was about, and then they would say that they didn’t care, it wasn’t important,” she said.

Dreaver said similar experiences continued during the event, where some people reacted negatively after learning about the purpose of the gathering.

She chose not to repeat some of the specific comments because of the harm caused by the language used.

Despite those experiences, Dreaver said the support from families, survivors, and community members showed why these conversations must continue.

For Dreaver, one of the most important ways people can support the movement is by continuing to share the stories of those who are missing and murdered.

“I recommend that people share the stories of others who are missing and murdered,” she said. “There are a lot of families who feel forgotten about, a lot of family members who feel lost and have given up hope because it’s no longer talked about.”

Dreaver said many of the posters displayed during the event represent cases dating back decades.

“A lot of the posters that I do have are older posters from like, say, the 1950s or 60s, and I still share them because it’s important,” she said. “There’s somebody out there who remembers them, and I want them to know that they’re not forgotten.”

The awareness campaign will continue, with Dreaver planning another event on August 21. The location is still being determined.

Community members interested in participating, volunteering, or supporting the event can contact Lee Dreaver through Facebook by sending her a direct message.

For Dreaver, every poster represents a person, a family, and a story that deserves to remain visible.

“They’re not forgotten,” she said.