THUNDER BAY – On Monday, the annual flag-raising ceremony for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People took place at city hall.
Sharon Johnson, volunteer organizer for the Full Moon Memory Walk, said it’s important that the flag raising continues to be a part of the ceremony.
“It's a day to remember our missing and murdered loved ones," Johnson added.
“It's always our hope that some information about somebody will help (them) remember something, in regards to a family member that was last seen . . . the location or somebody they might have been with.”
Tuesday morning, the ceremony continues with the 2024 Full Moon Memory Walk.
“Tomorrow is going to look a little different than previous years where we used to start from here (city hall)," Johnson said. "We used to start from here after the flag raising.
"We'll be starting at the Neebing Floodway, then we'll be walking to Roots to Harvest and we'll have a breakfast gathering there with some speakers.”
Johnson said anybody and everybody is invited to join in at the walk.
Participants are asked to meet starting at 6:45 a.m., with the walk itself getting underway at 7:30 a.m.
“We do encourage family members of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, men, boys and two-spirit,” Johnson said.
Johnson also said that it’s important to continue to raise the flag and do the walk annually, because there is not much awareness for MMIWG2S in the city.
“The memorial walks are important to keep that awareness there," Johnson added. "That's how we started out, that was the purpose of our walks to begin with."
The walks have a special meaning for Johnson. Her sister Sandra was murdered in 1992.
“Sandra was 18 years old when we lost her," Sharon said. "I never ever keep track of how many years have gone by. Never. I just don't have that number in mind, just always, she's still 18 to me.
“It was also, for me personally, it was for our healing, for my family's healing and for my late mother who is no longer with us, but just to keep the awareness out there for other family members that are going through what we went through.
“It's been, it's been a lot of years since we lost her and, myself, I continue to do the work wherever I'm invited. However I can help, I'll do it."
