Red Shawl campaign comes back to life

On Monday, the New Brunswick Archives were home to a poignant ceremony in honour of Missing and Murdered Women, Girls and Two Spirit people (MMIWG2S) called the Red Shawl campaign.

The Red Shawl campaign is an event created by Opolahsomuwehs (Imelda Perley), a Wolastoqiyik Elder and former UNB Elder-in-residence, originally from Tobique First Nation.

During the ceremony, Opolahsomuwehs mentioned how she had been inspired by the Red Dress campaigns she witnessed in Western Canada to create something in her home province. However, the Red Dress symbol was already in use at the time, as part of a campaign for heart health and the fight against cardiovascular disease.

So, given the importance of the shawl to Indigenous cultures, Opolahsomuwehs created the Red Shawl Campaign in 2015. The shawl is a symbol of healing and protection. Young girls traditionally receive their shawls when they become women.

This year is important because, after the pandemic and Opolahsomuwehs’s retirement from the Elder-in-residence position, this year marked the rebirth of the campaign.

Around 50 people gathered at the Provincial Archives to view the expo and participate in the water ceremony to bring healing. Many were wearing red and orange, colours important for both the Red Shawl Campaign and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, to remember MMIWG.

At the centre of the room, a table covered in red cloths and dozens of flickering candles held in hand-made red clay bowls were on display. Around the room, red shawls made by different people, including New Brunswick College of Craft and Design students, were hanging on tree branches at different levels.

Opolahsomuwehs gave opening remarks and led the water ceremony.

A copper cup was passed from hand to hand around the circle of people gathered to collect their prayers and thoughts. Opolahsomuwehs would return the water to the Wolatoq river to bring healing to all the Wolastoqi communities.

Two moments were especially significant during the event.

Erin Brook’s mother, Laurie Brooks, was in attendance. Erin Brooks is a young woman that was last seen Dec. 27, 2021, in the Wolastoqey community of Sitansisk (St. Mary’s).

Laurie Brooks spoke courageously about her daughter’s disappearance and revealed how difficult it was for her to keep going, and especially to tell her other daughter that she would never see Erin again. Laurie Brooks’ words moved many in the audience to tears. When she finished speaking, Opolahsomuwehs enveloped Laurie Brooks in one of the original shawls created for the first campaign in 2015.

Judie Acquin-Miksovsky was also in attendance. Along with being an accomplished singer, Acquin-Miksovsky teaches in the Wabanaki Visual Arts program at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design in Fredericton.

At Opolahsomuwehs’ request, Acquin-Miksovsky sang a moving song for the audience, accompanied by Ann Paul. The Red Shawl song was written by Tobique First Nation’s Samaqani Cocahq Natalie Sappier to honour all MMIWG.

Upon finishing the hauntingly poignant verses, both women embraced and burst into tears.

This year, the Red Shawl campaign is hosting several events, including a public lecture by Kahente Horn-Miller titled “We are in her and she is in us: Performing Sky Woman’s Narrative and the Rematriation of Haudenosaunee stories” on Wednesday, October 4. A Kanien:keha’ka (Mohawk) scholar, Horn-Miller is currently Carleton University’s Assistant Vice-President of Indigenous Initiatives.

A vigil for MMIWG will be held in the Long House behind Marshall d’Avray Hall on UNB Campus on Thursday, October 5.

More information can be found on this website: https://www.unb.ca/mwc/events/redshawl.html.

Sophie M. Lavoie is an editorial board member of the NB Media Coop.

This article was updated at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 12, 2023 to clarify the name of a program at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design in Fredericton.