Fourth annual Sisters in Spirit Walk honours MMIWG2S in Regina

It was an emotional day for many people taking part in the Regina Police Services 4th annual Sisters in Spirit Walk For Healing in Regina.

During the walk, 47 white roses were carried. Each rose represents a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirited

People (MMIWG2S) from the area.

Michelle Bear was one of the mothers carrying a rose for her daughter Richele, who went missing in 2013. Police determined she was murdered, but her body has still not been found.

She still needs to bring her daughter’s body home.

“My healing and my family’s healing is not going to be complete until we bring her home,” said Bear. “We have to bring her home to her sacred burial ground. She has a place out there.”

Bear said it’s difficult when you have a daughter who is missing.

“I think it was the worst thing in the world when your loved one is missing. You don’t know if they’re getting hurt while you’re sitting there waiting, you don’t know if they’re getting tortured while you’re sitting there waiting, and it’s horrible to sit there and wait.”

She hopes people remember her daughter for her kindness and loving nature.

“She always had a smile. She would always help you no matter what her situation was. She would always give you her sweater, she would always give you the last piece of money she had, she would always give you the food off of her plate. She would do anything and everything for you, and she didn’t deserve this. No woman deserves this.”

Meanwhile, Bear said events like this, which bring recognition to the MMIWG2S, and to the grieving families, mean a lot to her.

“Gatherings like this are great because it brings families together. It helps with the healing process, and it helps that mothers out there have people around to recognize them and recognize that they’re still grieving and recognize that there’s family members still missing.”

Regina Police Deputy Chief Lorilee Davies said they launched this walk four years ago, after going to elders in the community for advice on how to honour the MMIWG2S.

“There are far too many Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls across the country and in our community, and we need to work together to come up with really unique solutions and ideas on how we can stop the violence against females in our community.”

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Davies said the event is meant to send a message to the families.

“We are committed to working with them to hopefully try and get the answers that they need in terms of their loved ones. But really, I think it’s about community and the police service coming together, really in the spirit of reconciliation.”

Officers from the Saskatchewan Police College also took part in the event, to gain a better understanding of MMIWG2S.