Image of many vamps laid out on red carpet in gallery spaceImage provided by Robert Wilson Photography

WWOS Yellowknife has now closed at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre

January 9-24, 2015

Yellowknife, NWT

Contact: wwosyk@gmail.com

Thank you to everyone who was a part of making this event happen.

You can join our WWOS Yellowknife Facebook Page to see how wonderful the exhibit was!

We are interested in starting a permanent youth committee in Yellowknife with more fun cultural, empowering events! Stay tuned!

Walking With Our Sisters Yellowknife InstallationAbove images provided by Robert Wilson Photography


IN THE NEWS

IN THE NEWS: One Year after WWOS, Yellowknife hosts #MMIW Pre-Inquiry Talks 

“Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett is in Yellowknife today to host preliminary engagements ahead of the launch of a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women.”

Read full article by Mike Gibbons here.

 

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Crowd of people sitting down in an auditoriumIt was wonderful to have a big crowd at tonight’s Walking With Our Sisters Teach-in in Dettah. Thanks to our panelists, moderator, everyone who came out, the cooks for the wonderful food and organizer Lois Little.

Read more about the WWOS Yellowknife teach-ins on CBC North: The Walking With Our Sisters teach-ins a rare opportunity for reconciliation


 

Many people were moved by the work and being a part of the installation is often a healing process for those involved. Yellowknife Laurie Sarkadi writes of her experience assisting with the installation while also being there for a dying friend:

“His dying was being conducted with dignity and as per his wishes. His hearth and home were tended, his pain minimal and managed, his family notified and prepared. His funeral and legacy work on the environment self-planned. He would die at 52 a man at peace, surrounded by love.

None of this was afforded the women at the centre of Walking With Our Sisters, whose lives were cut short by violence and disregard, or who have gone missing. With reverence and meticulous attention to every aspect of the installation, they are now getting the respect and honour they so deserved.”

Read more of Laurie’s article “Walking With Our Sisters soothes the pains of tragedies both national and personal.

WWOS Yellowknife thanks everyone who participated in the opening ceremony and thank you to Robert Wilson for his coverage of the January 9 opening.

Large crowd of people sitting in front of people performing a traditional ceremony


Group shot of Indigenous women WWOS Yellowknife Elders, Keepers and Organizing Committee member volunteers. What a hard working bunch of women! And there are more wonderful ladies that did so much but missed the photo opportunity after closing ceremonies today.

Walking With Our Sisters cannot exist without the support and service of many volunteers. From fundraising, to installing and de-installing as well as all the work in between to welcome visitors to the memorial we can’t thank those who give of their time enough. Our first volunteer orientation brought out a big crowd  (below image) and people continued to be involved in many different capacities during the time Walking With Our Sisters was in Yellowknife. Even little ones got involved!

Rows of people sitting in a circle of chairs in an auditorium

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150104_yellowknife_volunteerWoman's hand reaching out to touch cardboard boxes with labelsThe vamp keeper hands them off.


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Youth workshop #2!

15+ kids beading either sealskin earrings, hair clips, or key chains! Then later on we made vision boards! Thanks so much to Inuk and the Status of Woman for this amazing day.

One of our youngest youth volunteers, 4 yrs old helping us set up for our workshop (below image).

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We had a great day of youth workshops. We had so much fun during the youth workshops! The day started at 10:30am with an empowering arts workshop; name tag making, ice breaker games, expressive art, and a youth/elder circle.

Below are images of the art work created by those who attended. Thanks to all who came out.

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THE LINE UP ON OPENING DAY!

After a few days of many volunteers helping out with the installation the Walking With Our Sisters Memorial is now open in Yellowknife.

(Images by Robert Wilson)

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AND THE INSTALLATION IS COMPLETE!

A description of the Yellowknife installation from the National Collective’s Erin Tankupine:

“The Yellowknife memorial has some beautiful territorial elements such as drying racks for meat, the northern lights, a quilliq, drums, spruce bows, beaver and caribou hides and a fish.”

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DAY TWO OF INSTALL.

Amazing progress is being made. The space is starting to have a very different feel to it.

Once again, thanks to all the volunteers for your hard work.

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DAY ONE OF INSTALL.

What a great first day of installation! Thanks to all the volunteers!

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Some pictures from our second “Teach-In.”
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All of the brave community members willing to be present to participate in the difficult conversations surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Participants of the WWOS YK’s second Teach-in, “Uncomfortable Truths – New Relationships”. It’s great to have so many caring community members!

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A pair of uppers made by Gloria (Lafferty) Miller included in the WWOS commemoration. Gloria says:

“I sent these in to Walking with our Sisters last year… I did these to remember the highway of Tears in British Columbia, to remember they still have not found any of the missing women or have any criminal apprehended. And to pay respect to the shattered dreams and lives, and to honour the tears still shed and the innocent lives cut short as buds, without the possibility to bloom. You are not forgotten. “


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Walking with Our Sisters Yellowknife Raffle draw December 19, 2014 at 3 pm at the Native Women’s Association. Thank you very much for supporting Walking with Our Sisters Yellowknife – Raffle! It is because of your generous support that we sold all of our tickets!

And congratulations to all the winners!

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Update December 17 – The Sisters are getting closer to Yellowknife!

Rose and Tyrone at the NWT Border, Te Sisters are now in the land of the midnight sun and glorious Northern Lights.


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WWOS Yellowknife at the Winter Market in the downtown mall! Tomorrow will be our last day and then the Walking With Our Sisters organizing committee will have a table at the market starting Saturday (10 – 4 pm).


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Here are images from our community discussion “empowering our young girls and teaching our men how to be protectors”

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‪#‎WWOSYellowknife‬ winter market booth!


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13 prizes, 1000 tickets printed, for a draw on December 19th for traditional and modern indigenous craft & artwork worth over $3200.00 Please inbox us on our Facebook Event Page if you’d like to buy tickets, $10 each!


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The very first youth committee meeting went great!

Also, another successful committee meeting.

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Great turn out at last night’s community meeting!

Here’s the agenda:
Community meeting 3
Topic: how do we include families directly affected by the mmiw social problem and how do we engage and have more community involvement
-background on wwos yk
-set up timeline
-advertising wwos
-introductions

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We had a great turn out on Wednesday! We discussed our latest community talk theme “traditional values”. Stay tuned for the latest information on our next WWOS meeting in two weeks! Have a safe and enjoyable weekend

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Meet our great WWOS Yellowknife Committee!

Thanks to everyone who showed up at our last meeting.

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Great turn out for Yellowknife’s first community conversation! Thanks to all who came out.

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