Ottawa commemorates Red Dress Day with ceremony at Ottawa City Hall

CTV’s Camille Wilson has more on the ceremony taking place in Ottawa to mark Red Dress Day.

May 5 marks the 15th anniversary of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), also known as Red Dress Day.

The Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition hosted an annual Red Dress Day Gathering at Ottawa City Hall to bring the community together to remember, heal and recognize National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

“Today is a day of recognizing the loss of community over generations and it’s also bringing together a community to support each other in times where the heart is heavy and acknowledging all the loved ones that have gone missing and murdered - within our families, our direct families, within our communities, within our nation,” said Mary Daoust, co-chair of the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition.

“It’s not an individual loss, it’s a community loss and it’s a nationwide loss. It’s just devastating to have to deal with loss over and over again and today is a day to just hold each other up, to hug each other, to show kindness, to give each one that feeling of we belong.”

People were able to participate in a ceremony, enjoy art displays, educational exhibits, and creative activities that honour the lives and legacies of Indigenous women and girls.

There was a lighting of a sacred fire, honour songs by drum groups and throat singers, a Red Dress and Red Amautis exhibit, MMIWG History Timeline and the public dressing and gifting of a jingle dress.

“A lot of us are in mourning and we will be in mourning until this gets properly addressed. We needed this day to really bring awareness and attention to it,” said Jenny Sawanohk, a member of the Cree First Nation and an Indigenous healer.

“I’ve seen violence. I’ve been in communities that are impacted by this directly. I’ve had family members that have been victims of violence. It’s heavy. I’ve grown up and I’ve been very aware that Indigenous women are targeted.”