June 9th

Congregations Mark Red Dress Day

Congregations from across Mennonite Church Manitoba participated in this year’s Red Dress Day remembering missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people (MMIWG2S+). Red Dress Day, formally known as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People, started with the REDress Project by Métis artist Jaime Black in 2010 and is held every year on May 5.

Four southern Manitoba communities—Carman, Altona, Morden, and Winkler—have continued the original REDress project this year. This project is an art installation which portrays the missing and murdered with hanging red dresses. A blanket exercise—an active learning experience in which participants learn about Canada’s colonizing history—has also been held in conjunction with these REDress installations.

Members of MCM congregations in these communities attended these events. “A red dress, empty, flowing in the breeze, dappled by sunlight streaming through fresh green leaves,” says Dianne Hildebrand (Morden), describing the installation. “Tree after tree, dress after dress, nameless and named. We walk through this memorial, this call to action, this ongoing reality.”

In Winnipeg, eight MCM congregations were represented in a solidarity walk on Red Dress Day. The walk ended with a gathering at the Oodena Celebration Circle at The Forks (see image), with guest speakers and a healing jingle dress dance.

Esther Epp-Tiessen (Home Street) was one MCM participant. “It is important that descendants of settlers show up to stand with MMIWG families who seek justice and healing,” she says. “It is a small way that we can atone for the legacy of colonialism.”

“It was hard to hear the stories that were shared,” adds Sandy Loewen (River East). “It must have been even harder for each woman to share their story of the absolutely horrible way they or their child were treated. This was an opportunity to show up in solidarity with MMIWG2S+ people and walk alongside them.”

While the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have reported 1,200 missing Indigenous women between 1980 and 2012, Indigenous groups put the number closer to 4,000. Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people continue to experience higher rates of violence than other groups.

Melanie Neufeld, MCM’s Director of Mission Engagement, notes that Red Dress Day is “an important day of mourning and lament. It is also a day of examining how our culture and society continues to perpetuate attitudes that have built systems of harm. God is on the side of the vulnerable—present and accompanying our weeping mothers.”

Let’s continue to pray for MMIWG2S+ families beyond Red Dress Day. Consider participating in solidarity events in your local community as they come up. To financially support our ongoing regional and nationwide work in Indigenous relations, see www.mennochurch.mb.ca/giving.