Missing, murdered Aboriginal women honoured

Vigils and gatherings will be held in communities across the north Fridayto honour missing or murdered Aboriginal women.

Known as Sisters in Spirit events, the gatherings seek to raise awareness about the number ofAboriginal women who have been killed or havedisappeared.The Native Womens Association of Canada puts that number at more than 600 in the last 20 years a number disputed by the RCMP.

InSudbury, people will gather at theNSwakamokNative Friendship Centre for a walk to city hall.

Remembering through art

An artist from Espanola is also trying to raise awareness about the issue through a unique art exhibit called Walking With Our Sisters.

Christi Belcourt put out a call for people to sew moccasin tops in memory of women that have been lost and she received more than 1,700 pairs from around North America.

Each pair represents the unfinished life of a missing or murdered indigenous woman, she said.

So it is an art exhibit, but it also a memorial and commemorative piece that people are creating to honour the lives of the women.The whole point for me is about honouring and about ceremony and about saying that these womens lives matter."

Belcourts exhibit opened in Edmonton this week.

It will tour North America for the next seven years, including future stops in northeastern Ontario.

According to the Native Womens Association of Canada, the following events will take place Friday in northeastern Ontario:

• Cochrane Ininew Friendship Centre
• Fort Albany Fort Albany Frist Nation Pettabeck Academy Dreamcatcher Arena
• Garden River Anishanaabekwe of the North Shore
• Kapuskasing Kapuskasing Indian Friendship Centre
• North Bay North Bay Indian Friendship Centre
• Manitouwanig Community Highschool event
• Mattawa Mattawa Womens Resource Centre
• MChigeeng United Chiefs of Mnidoo Mnising, Mantioulin Hotel and Conference Centre
• Moose Factory Moose Cree First Nation Health Services
• Sault Ste. Marie Sault College Native Education Department
• Sudbury NSwakamok Native Friendship Centre
• Timmins Timmins Native Friendship Centre
• Wasauksing First Nation Community Centre Gymnasium
• Wawa Mchiacoten First Nation at Iris Place
• Wikwemikong Ngwaagan Gamig Recovery Centre