Quesnel is marking Red Dress Day today, a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People.
Tony Goulet, the Executive Director at the Quesnel Tillicum Society, goes over the day’s itinerary.
“They’re going to meet at the memorial (Riverfront Trail) at 9. There will be some drumming. They’re going to walk to Spirit Square where there will be some speakers, more drumming, coffee, and prayers. From there they will walk over to the Friendship Centre for a spaghetti lunch at 12.”
Goulet says things will wrap up at around 3.
He says everyone is welcome.
Goulet says there will be 120 red dresses on display throughout the city representing the number of cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls that are still missing or whose cases are unsolved.
“They will see them throughout town. There will be some when you come into town, north and south, and then there will be some on the west side just to symbolize that they are actual people right. They’re not just a posted name.”
Goulet says the color is also symbolic.
“For Indigenous people and Indigenous elders red is the only color the spirits can see, so it’s really calling of the spirits of those women back I guess, and allowing them a chance to be among us and have their voices heard.”
Red Dress Day began back in 2010.
Goulet says today’s (Friday) event will also build on reconciliation and some of the calls to action.