Sisters in Spirit facts for kids

The Sisters in Spirit project was an important program started by the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC). It began in 2005 with funding from the Canadian government. The main goal was to study and record information about violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada. It also aimed to make more people aware of these issues and help change government rules to protect Indigenous women better. The project did this by sharing the real-life experiences of Indigenous women and showing why this violence was happening.

Why Sisters in Spirit Started

For many years, Indigenous women and girls in Canada faced a serious problem: many were going missing or being murdered. For example, between 1978 and 2002, many workers, including Indigenous women, disappeared from a part of Vancouver. Also, a road in British Columbia called "Highway of Tears" became known because over 32 Indigenous women and girls were reported missing or dead there.

Families and friends of victims, along with Indigenous groups, started asking for action. They wanted the government to do something about the problem of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The NWAC was one of the main groups leading these calls.

The NWAC is a group run by Indigenous women. It started in 1974 to help Indigenous women with issues like unfair rules in the Indian Act and other problems that other Indigenous groups were not addressing. In 2002, the NWAC sent a report to the United Nations. This report explained how Indigenous women in Canada were often not valued and were victims of violence.

The report said that unfair systems and a lack of money or opportunities for Indigenous communities, especially for women, were causing this violence. These problems were made worse by government rules and a lack of care from police and society. Because of this, Indigenous women were more likely to live in poverty.

In 2004, Amnesty International worked with NWAC to release a report called "Stolen Sisters." This report said that the Canadian government had not done enough to protect Indigenous women. It estimated that more than 500 Indigenous women and girls had gone missing or been murdered in the previous 20 years.

How the Project Began

In March 2004, the NWAC started a one-year "Sisters in Spirit" campaign. This campaign wanted to bring more public attention to the violence against Indigenous women. It also aimed to get government money for a bigger, multi-year project to study the problem. In 2005, the Canadian government agreed to fund the research. They gave five million dollars from Status of Women Canada over five years.

The Sisters in Spirit project had several important goals:

• To find a reliable number of all missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.
• To share some of the victims' life stories.
• To understand the main reasons why this violence was happening.
• To find ways to make Indigenous women safer.

In November 2008, Sisters in Spirit released its first report, called “Voices of Our Sisters in Spirit.” A second version came out in 2009. The research used both numbers and statistics, and also focused on stories shared by the victims' families and friends. The project also created educational tools for communities and safety tips for Indigenous women. It offered support to victims' families and communities.

The report suggested new rules and programs. These included services for Indigenous female police officers that respected their culture. It also suggested education programs about the history and impact of unfair treatment of Indigenous peoples. Sisters in Spirit focused on making changes in four main areas:

• Reducing violence.
• Increasing housing options that are easy to get.
• Improving education and job opportunities.
• Making it easier to get justice through the legal system.

In March 2010, Sisters in Spirit released another report called “What Their Stories Tell Us.” This report further explained how the history of colonization affected Indigenous women. It identified 582 women or girls who had been missing or murdered in Canada.

When the first five years of funding ended in 2010, the government decided not to give new money to the project. So, the Sisters in Spirit research project officially ended on March 31, 2010. In February 2011, the government did give NWAC some new money, almost two million dollars over three years, for a new project called "Evidence to Action." However, many people felt this new funding was not enough and that the important work of Sisters in Spirit was being reduced.

What Sisters in Spirit Left Behind

Even though the government stopped funding its research, the Sisters in Spirit project inspired many community events and new groups. These groups continue to support its goals and help the families of victims. Besides annual events, the original purpose of Sisters in Spirit lives on. It keeps discussions going and encourages action on Indigenous issues. This is largely thanks to its partnership with the NWAC, which has created resources to teach people about Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Sisters in Spirit Day

In 2019, October 4th was officially named Sisters in Spirit Day in Alberta by the provincial government.

Sisters in Spirit Vigils

Sisters in Spirit vigils are held every year on October 4th. These events remember Canada’s murdered and missing Indigenous women.

These vigils help more people know about the crisis of violence against Indigenous women and girls in Canada. They make sure everyone, no matter their background, understands this serious problem. Vigils also support communities by showing that women and girls are loved and deeply missed by their families.

The first Sisters in Spirit Vigil was organized by NWAC, Amnesty International Canada, and KAIROS Canada. NWAC was surprised and happy when 11 Canadian communities held vigils at the same time on October 4, 2006. Hundreds of people participated.

Today, these vigils are often held by independent Indigenous groups.

Sisters in Spirit Walks

Besides the vigils, many Sisters in Spirit events include walks or marches on October 4th. They also happen at other important times of the year, like the Women's Memorial March on Valentine's Day and Winnipeg’s Mother’s Day Walk. Like the vigils, these marches honor the memory of Indigenous women and build a sense of unity among Indigenous communities.

Families of Sisters in Spirit

The Families of Sisters in Spirit is a community-led program that started in 2011. It gets money from community donations and small fundraising events. This program recognized that families of missing and murdered Indigenous women needed more support. It aims to give them financial and emotional help. It also works to make more people aware of the issue. The program does this by hosting events, connecting communities, and offering direct support to Indigenous families. Indigenous women play important leadership roles in this group.

Art and Expression

Quilting

Alice Olsen Williams, an Anishinaabe quilter and supporter of the NWAC, wanted to find an artistic way for Indigenous peoples to express their sadness and anger about the injustice of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. She hoped to raise awareness and help people heal. Williams asked quilters across the country to create their own unique quilt squares and share their stories. She collected these squares and sewed them together to create the “Sisters in Spirit Traveling Quilt.”

Poetry

In October 2016, the Wolastoqiyik Sisters in Spirit group started an annual Poetry Slam in Fredericton, New Brunswick. This event is part of the group's "Days of Awareness." It gives poets a chance to use art to share their thoughts and feelings about their "fallen sisters."