St. Theresa Point First Nation in northern Manitoba is holding its inaugural Red Dress Day event on Monday to mourn and remember missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people. This year’s event is particularly poignant as the community mourns Ashlee Shingoose, identified as the victim of a Winnipeg serial killer. Shingoose, who was believed to have been murdered in 2022, was given the name Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe, meaning Buffalo Woman, by Indigenous community members.
Red Dress Day, observed annually on May 5 since 2010, serves as a national day of remembrance. Organizers in St. Theresa Point, including Tanya Dawn McDougall, have highlighted the need to confront the pain caused by the loss of community members, while also striving to contribute to the solution. The event will include speeches, candle lighting, a spirit dance, and a buffalo call, a collective prayer to release pain.
In the lead-up to Red Dress Day, workshops were held to create red dresses and skirts for girls and women to wear during the event. McDougall also addressed local students about the risks faced by First Nations people and the importance of mutual protection.
The issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women remains urgent, with Indigenous women being 12 times more likely to go missing or be murdered than non-Indigenous women. A key initiative is the Red Dress Alert, which is in development to notify the public when an Indigenous woman or girl goes missing, similar to Amber Alerts. This program is expected to launch in Manitoba by fall 2025, following consultations with affected communities.
As St. Theresa Point honors Ashlee Shingoose and other victims, the community continues to show resilience and solidarity in addressing these ongoing tragedies.
Source: Swifteradio.com
