Hosted by the Barrie Native Friendship Centre (BNFC), Moose Hide Campaign Day will be honoured in the city for the first time with a week’s worth of information and ceremony.
The official day is May 12.
BNFC cultural resource co-ordinator Paige Russell told BarrieToday the annual day started in 2011 when a father and his daughter were hunting along the Highway of Tears in British Columbia.
“They had caught a moose and the father was thinking to himself how he was hunting with his daughter along a stretch of highway where so many women and girls had gone missing,” said Russell. “He felt it was important to use that moose to raise awareness.”
The Highway of Tears is a 725-kilometre stretch of Highway 16 between Prince George and Prince Rupert, B.C., which has been the location of many missing and murdered women, predominantly Indigenous.
Moose hide pins were made and are worn each year to remember the victims of violence against Indigenous women and children.
Russell said the BNFC has 500 pins it will be handing out.
“It is for everyone, but we particularly look to the voice of men and boys specifically, to break down those gender roles,” said Russell. “The whole thing is about the voices of everyone, but certainly there is a need to hear from men and boys, particularly Indigenous.”
BNFC officials have secured Meridian Place in downtown Barrie from Monday, May 9 to Thursday, May 12.
“Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday won’t necessarily have events happening, but we do have the stage canopy going to be lit up in red. We want to hang a few red dresses (the symbol for murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls) there, some informative posters with the calls to action and information about missing and murdered woman and girls,” said Russell.
On May 12, Russell said there will be a ceremonial community gathering from 4-7 p.m. that will see elders and guests speak, a smudge ceremony and a drum group who will play.
Russell is glad to be able to bring this nationally honoured day to the city and said it is vitally important.
“Traditionally, Indigenous men are taught that it's OK to be vulnerable, it's OK to not always be the stereotypical strong western version of a man,” said Russell. “There has always been so much respect around women in the native culture, but it seems through colonization and addictions, trauma and violence, the younger generation is not aware of those traditional values and the standing of women.”
For more information on how to get a moose hide pin and on the services provided by the BNFC, head to their website by clicking here.
