Sisters In Spirit Vigils - Province-wide
October 4th SIS Vigils
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON OCTOBER 4TH?
October 4th is a day where we honour the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. The violence experienced by Aboriginal women and girls in Canada is a national tragedy. We must take the time to give thanks to the families who are our reason we all continue to demand action.
Together with our partners Amnesty International Canada, KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC), and Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) we rally advocates to host vigils in their own community. A vigil can take many forms, from a moment of silence to a rally to a community feast. All that is important is that you take some time on or around October 4th to mark the day.
As a symbol of our partnership and commitment to the issue, our organizations craft a Joint Statement. Supporters from across the country are invited to publically add their organization’s name to the document to give it strength and unite under this cause. Once finalized, this statement is read at vigils nationwide on October 4th.
We firmly believe that the October 4th Sisters In Spirit Vigils are a movement for social change. The number of SIS Vigils has grown from 11 in 2006 to an impressive 175 vigils in 2012.
Check out the 2013 October 4th SIS Vigil Registration page and the 2013 October 4th SIS Vigil Locations pages for more information.
Each year on October 4th communities across Canada come together to honour the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. As we do so, we remember the lives of sisters, daughters, mothers and grandmothers tragically taken from us.
177 October 4th SIS Vigils and counting ...
British Columbia
Agassiz – Stolo Tribal Council – Stolo First Nation community @11am
Burns Lake BC - @ TBD
Castlegar – Selkirk College Students Union at Selkirk College @ 11am
Campbell River - Kwakilh District Council - Laichusiltack Family Life Society - Rally and moment of silence at 4:00pm
Coal Harbour – Quatsino First Nation @ TBD
Courtenay – North Island Students Union – North Island College @ 12pm
Coquitlam – Douglas Students Union at the Atrium David Lam Campus @ 12pm-1pm
Darcy - Whistler : Squamish Lil'Nat Cultural Centre - March from Cultural Centre through village square and open mic at the Cultural Centre after the march @ 5-7pm
Dawson Creek – Nawican Friendship Centre – candlelight moment of silence and march @ 4-5pm
Fort Fraser - Nadleh Community @ TBD
Fort St. John - Fort St. John Friendship Centre - Rally, march to city hall, feast with drumming @ 5pm-8pm
Fort Nelson – Fort Nelson Aboriginal Friendship Centre @ TBD
Fraser Valley Institution - Correctional Services Canada - @ TBD
Hamsan Mills - Correction Services Canada - Kwikwexwelnp Healing Village - 8:30 am briefing and 11:30 am Faceless Dolls Activity over the lunch hour with staff and residents - closed event
Kamloops – British Columbia’s Native Women’s Association – Rally and march from Riverside park to Bandstand candlelight vigil @ 5pm-8pm
Kelowna – Ki-low-na Friendship Centre – RCMP update, candlelight vigil, Faceless Dolls and Families Guest Speakers at 442 Leon Ave. @ 4pm-7:30pm
Lillooet – Xaxlip Health – Xaxlip Hall - March at 5pm followed by vigil at 7:30pm
Mission – Mission Friendship Centre Society candlelight vigil, smudge and moment of silence at Mission Friendship Centre Main Hall @ 11:30am
Nanaimo – Vancouver Island Students Union – Candlelight vigil at VIU Campus @ 6:30pm
Nelson - Candian Union of Postal Workers - Moment of Silence at workplace @ TBD
New Westminister - Douglas Students; Union - October 1st - Vigil, moment of silence, speakers, Faceless Dolls, NWAC Statement and screening of Finding Dawn @ 11:30am - 2pm
Penticton - Okanagan Nation Transition emergency house & Ooknakane Friendship Centre @5pm-9pm
Port Alberni – Tseshaht First Nation – Walk Along the Pacific Rim Highway @ 3pm-5:30pm
Port Alberni – Port Alberni Friendship Center – moment of silence and candlelight vigil @12pm-3pm
Prince George -College of New Caledonia Students Union - TE Lounge - Candleloght vigil and moment of silence @ 7pm
Prince Rupert – Walk from Highway of Tears (HWY 16) to the Lester Centre of Arts @ 7pm-9pm
Prince Rupert - Northwest Community College Students Union - Assembly on campus and moment of silence @ 12pm-1pm
Shalalth – Tsal’alhmec Seton Lake Indian Band – Community Hall @ 5pm-10pm
Vancouver - UBC - Allard Hall Forum and Reflecting Pond @ 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Vernon – First Nations Friendship Centre at Elks Hall @ 5pm