WHITEFISH RIVER FIRST NATION—In a National Indigenous People’s Day overflowing with emotions, a red granite monument commemorating the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited (MMIWG2S+) was unveiled beside the Whitefish River First Nation (WRFN) Warrior’s cenotaph.
The day began with a sunrise ceremony officiated by Knowledge Keeper Shkaabewis Oshakabewis, albeit without the usual sacred fire, given the current fire ban. (Semaa offerings were collected in a small bowl to be taken to a fire at a later time.) Shkaabewis provided a teaching as part of the ceremony.
Espanola Mayor Douglas Gervais, Deputy Mayor Angela Kelly and Councillor Aiden Kallioinen attended the sunrise ceremony, as did Northeast Town Councillor Michael Erskine. Northeast Town Deputy Mayor Al Boyd attended the unveiling ceremony that took place later that morning as the official town representative.
Mayor Gervais gifted WRFN Chief Rodney Nahwegahbow with a birch bark container following the sunrise ceremony and the chief reciprocated with a semaa (tobacco) container.
The official unveiling ceremony took place at 10 am and began with a procession of MMIWG2S+ family members, led to the covered viewing stand by bearers of community eagle staffs and jingle dress dancers.
Newly appointed Superior Court of Justice of Ontario Justice Catherine Rhinelander, who was part of a team representing Ontario at the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, acted as master of ceremonies for the unveiling ceremonies.
Chief Nahwegahbow welcomed everyone to Whitefish River First Nation. “Miigwetch for coming,” he said, before introducing himself in traditional form and going on to acknowledge the former leadership, the helpers in the ceremony “for starting us out on a good way. Something like this takes a lot of teamwork.”
“I want to thank our elders Tecla and Jean for opening us up with a beautiful thanksgiving prayer,” he said. “I want to acknowledge the families of the victims. In spite of what they have endured, they continue and persist in offering healing and helping hands. We should remember to offer them our support, emotionally and spiritually.”
Chief Nahwegahbow went on to thank Indigenous leaders who travelled to the community, including Anishinaabek Nation Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe and Chief Patsy Corbiere, the members of the Espanola council in attendance and NEMI Deputy Mayor Al Boyd.
“This monument will be appreciated by many people who visit our community,” he said. Chief Nahwegahbow went on to acknowledge organizer Meggie Cywink for her hard work and seeing the project through.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to the Ontario Ministry of Attorney General, Indigenous Justice Division for funding this commemorative and all the Indigenous organizations that helped fund the various expenses for this event,” said Chief Nahwegahbow. “Chi-miigwech to our own Whitefish River chief and council for the decisions, time to help fund the prep and ground work ensure this monument will stand the test of time.”
Two plainclothes members of the OPP then unveiled the monument of red granite.
“Our people have suffered intergenerational trauma where violence and addictions are common and continue to grow with threats of city and gang-related crime infiltrating our First Nation Communities,” he said. “I had three decades of First Nation policing service with the UCCMM communities in the Manitoulin area. We will continue to see our young men and women choosing to leave our First Nations in hopes for a better life in the city. This imbalance must be addressed to reverse the effects of MMIWGT2S.”
Family members were called up to podium to talk about what the monument and this day meant to them. Those whose family members have never been found, now have a place to come and mourn their lost ones.
When new remains are found, the news triggers grief and pain for those family members.
“I am really happy to be here,” said the son of a MMIWG2S+ person. He noted the monument will ensure that “those taken from us are not forgotten.”
The monument was created by Signature Memorials Limited of Orillia, in consultation with the families and committee members, and owner Stephen Sanderson was in attendance at the unveiling. His wife and one of his staff carved the imagery on the monument. That imagery consisted of a jingle dress dancer, a swirl of strawberry plants and flowers along the edge of a five-inch gap that splits the monument in twain. That gap represents the missing, and speaks to the fact that, because they are missing, for their families the circle will never be complete.
Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Niganobe thanked the organizers for inviting him to the unveiling and said that it was great to be here “and thank you to the families for sharing your stories, the teachings and your strength.”
Following the speeches, family members processed from the viewing seats and to a community feast. Dignitaries and family members took an opportunity to pose for photographs with the monument to mark the historic occasion.
“I wish to congratulate the community of Whitefish River First Nation, Chief Rodney Nahwegahbow, his council and the Ontario Loved Ones Commemoration Committee for the historic unveiling of the monument dedicated to Ontario Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, Transgender and Two-Spirit persons,” said Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes. “Although I could not attend the unveiling and commemoration ceremony due to my duties in the House of Commons, I wish to commend Meggie Cywink for her unrelenting work to honour her sister Sonya, as well as the work of the other committee members who wanted to ensure their loved ones are never forgotten. A monument such as this is a vital reminder of the continued work that needs to be done to address the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls to Action. It also stands as a stark but necessary reminder of those women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people whom we have lost.”
