Warning: This story contains graphic descriptions and images that some may find disturbing

For Carol Archie, she has lived through the reality of Red Dress Day.

Archie is the niece 鈥� from her mom鈥檚 side 鈥� of a murdered Indigenous woman.

鈥淪he was brutally raped and murdered and the individuals that were responsible for her death, two of them were provided small fines and one was able to walk away free, none of them had jail time. This is our reality. We were born and raised with the mindset that we have to be aware of the dangers, not out in the wilderness, in community,鈥� said Archie, who spoke at 琉璃神社鈥檚 Red Dress Day march Friday (May 5).

While wearing red and holding signs, the group of hundreds marched from the friendship society on Leon Avenue before eventually ending up at the 琉璃神社 Court House to bring awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and the ongoing violent epidemic throughout North America against Indigenous women and girls.

While Red Dress Day has been commemorated for more than a decade, Friday marked the first time the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society held an event.

Indigenous people have been targets for years and Archie still sees that today.

鈥淚 have the ability to be able to work for an employer that understands where I鈥檓 coming from because in this day and age, my youngest daughter was followed from my work to her school,鈥� said Archie, who has two daughters, 19 and 16. 鈥淚 know to make certain I get to work extra early in the morning and my day ends when her day ends so that way I know I鈥檓 the one driving her home and I鈥檓 the one picking her up, because we are visitors on the Sylix traditional unceded territory so we don鈥檛 have a lot of family here.鈥�

Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society executive director Edna Terbasket said it warmed her heart to see the support Friday.

鈥淭he message is getting out there to many, many people,鈥� said Terbasket. 鈥淲e鈥檝e lived with it for a long time as Indigenous people and when I see a lot of the folks here that are from the mainstream, I go 鈥榃ow, we鈥檙e getting our message out there.鈥欌��

Terbasket explained red is symbolic because it鈥檚 spiritual to Indigenous people. It also stands for the violence behind what鈥檚 been happening, at the same time representing love.

鈥淚 think families talk more with their children about safety and even lifestyle and taking good care of themselves,鈥� said Terbasket. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not only Indigenous women and girls, it鈥檚 all peoples. I couldn鈥檛 imagine if I lost a sister or a niece or a granddaughter and she wasn鈥檛 found, I couldn鈥檛 imagine that. Is she alive? Is she okay? Has she been brutally assaulted or murdered?鈥�

Both Terbasket and Archie have seen tremendous growth and awareness, especially since the remains of 215 Indigenous residential school children were found in Kamloops almost two years ago.

鈥淲hat we are doing here today, we鈥檙e becoming stronger as a people, we are being more aware of who we are as a people and how we contribute to our families, communities, and nation,鈥� said Archie. 鈥淗aving this awareness across Canada and North America is huge for us, and it all started with residential school. That ripple effect comes into today and we鈥檙e answering back with our own ripple effects and it鈥檚 becoming more powerful.鈥�

And for more people who want to become aware, learn, and be a part of the solution, Terbasket and Archie say to ask questions and have open conversations.

鈥淲e all have to work together, collaborate together, heal together,鈥� said Terbasket.

READ MORE: West 琉璃神社 RCMP asking for public鈥檚 help in finding missing 13-year-old boy

READ MORE: From great tips to saving lives, 琉璃神社 Uride drives into Penticton

jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .