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Women's Remembrance and Action on Violence Ceremony Held at Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre

Thursday, 6 December 2018 13:31

The Persephones Singers Choir Performing at the ceremony today.

The ceremony honoured the 42 Yukon First Nations women who've gone missing or have been murdered and the women who lost their lives during the tragic shooting at Ecole Polytechnique in 1989. 

A National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women was held today at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre in Whitehorse.

The vigil honoured the 42 Yukon First Nations women who have gone missing or have been murdered, as well as the women who lost their lives during the tragic shooting at Ecole Polytechnique in 1989.  

Master of Ceremonies Lois Moorcroft  say's its important to reflect on the violence that many of these women face everyday, as well as to do something about it.

"We gather not only to mourn and to remember but to reflect on all the work we have done since December 6th, 1989 when we were jolted out of complacency by the shooting of 14 young women in Montreal at Ecole Polytechnique."

Moorcroft also says it's great to have a facility like the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre in Whitehorse to host these important events.

"We are gathered at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre that were so grateful to have this place where the community can gather and hold ceremony. When you come in the building and look at the 41 grandmother moon hanging on the wall...(they)  were put up to acknowledge and to honour all of the missing and murdered women in the Yukon from our First Nations around the territory." 

A rose ceremony to honour and remember those killed also occurred,  with the Persephones Singers performing to wrap the event up.  

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence runs annually from November 25th to December 10th and incorporates  violence protection and prevention against LGBTQ2+ community members, gender non-binary individuals, people with disabilities among others.

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