ABOUT THE WORK
What inspired you to create this project?
Growing up experiencing racism and not really understanding why, until I was in high school. I had read my first crime book "Just Another Indian" by Warren Goulding. He highlighted the history of discrimination and genocide of my own First Nations people in Canada by following the true case of a serial killer and the targeted First Nations women that serial killer murdered. I started questioning from there and found the MMIW movement. Ever since then when I have the opportunity to bring awareness through my art, I take it.
How many figures are there and why?
There are 96 figures in total. They represent the number of both missing and murdered indigenous women from 2000's to 2010's in Canada. I got most of the names and case data from the CBC missing and murdered case study site. Where they have the option of isolating just the 2000’s to 2010’s cases. Then I found a couple on my own. From my original goal of acquiring the cases from 2000’s to 2021, I realized as the list got bigger that I wouldn’t be able to make that amount on my own. So I had to break it down.
What was the goal of the project?
The goal was to make the figures based on the number I got from collecting the data of missing or murdered indigenous women and men between the years of 2000 - 2021 in Canada only. I originally wanted America's cases too.
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Reason why I broke it down to 10 years in Canada only, was because I knew there was going to be way too many figures for me to make. Canada's cases alone were too much so I couldn't include America's cases as well. As much as I would want to include everyone, its not possible for me to do in the time frame I had.
Even though I broke it down, I still struggled. Struggled to find databases and other supporting documents to help me get a proper understanding. I didn't want just the numbers. I wanted to put their names, ages, where they went missing/murdered, and when they went missing or was murdered. To me, they aren't just a number,
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I wanted to take this further and have more figures made for each of the women, but its just me. The research alone took a large amount of time because I was checking every online platform available to make sure these girls and women would be represented properly.
The information on the figures
The following is the information I broke down from the original list of names that I had. Between 2000 to 2010. The date is either from the last time they were seen and if they were found murdered. i know the "found" title can be misleading but I honestly just got tired of seeing the word murdered. So that was personal choice to put "found".
From my list there are:
64 murdered women/girls
&
32 missing women/girls
The youngest was 2 years old and the oldest was 83.
Alberta has the most missing and murdered indigenous women and girls compared to the rest of the provinces
Alberta: 24
British Columbia: 21
Manitoba: 21
Saskatchewan: 11
Ontario: 6
Quebec: 5
Newfoundland & Labrador: 3
Nova Scotia: 2
Nunavut: 2
Yukon: 1
Name Age Prv Date
1. Ada Elaine Brown 41 BC Found April 9, 2001
2. Aielah Saric-Auger 14 BC Found Feb 9, 2006
3. Andria Meise 32 BC Missing 2006
4. Annette Margaret Holywhiteman 44 AB Found 2010
5. Angel Edna Carlick 19 YT Found Nov 2007
6. Angela Williams 31 BC Found Dec 13, 2001
7. Anne Rose Peters 22 BC Missing Oct 11, 2008
8. Ashley Machiskinic 22 BC Found Sept 15, 2010
9. Belinda Ann Cameron 42 BC Missing June 4, 2005
10. Bonnie Lynn Jack 37 AB Found May 2006
11. Bonnie Marie Joseph 32 BC Missing Sept 8, 2007
12. Brittany Bearspaw 16 AB Found Jan 1, 2006
13. Carol Lynn Prudhomme 46 SK Found Sept 28, 2001
14. Carolyn Connolly 57 ON Found August 2, 2008
15. Chantelle Alice Rose Bushie 16 AB Missing Dec 1, 2007
16. Cherisse Diane Marie Houle 17 MB Found July 1 2009
17. Cheryl Johnson 23 NS Found May 2001
18. Cheryl Lynn Black 46 AB Found May 18, 2004
19. Claudette Priscilla June Osborne-Tyo 21 MB Missing July 25, 2008
20. Crystal Shannon Saunders 24 MB Found April 20, 2007
21. Cynthia Albena Audy 27 MB Missing October 2004
22. Danielle Marissa LaRue 24 BC Missing Nov 2002
23. Danita Faith Bigeagle 22 SK Missing Feb 11, 2007
24. Dawn Crey 42 BC Missing Dec 11, 2000
25. Delena Lefthand Dixon 20 AB Found August 2008
26. Della Ootoova 46 NU Found June 7, 2008
27. Diana Rattlesnake 48 MB Found Oct 28, 2004
28. Donna Marie Kasyon 20 SK Found June 15, 2002
29. Donna Taylor 36 BC Found Feb 7, 2007
30. Edna Bernard 28 AB Found Sept 23, 2002
31. Elaine Frieda Alook 35 AB Missing May 11, 2004
32. Emily Osmond 78 SK Missing Sept 9, 2007
33. Eva Mitchell 83 BC Missing Aug 20, 2004
34. Felicia Velvet Solomon 16 MB Found June 11, 2003
35. Fonassa Bruyere 17 MB Found Aug 20, 2007
36. Geraldine Ann Lewis Beardy 29 MB Found Sept 17, 2009
37. Gladys Tolley 61 QC Found Oct 5, 2001
38. Glennis Edwards 48 BC Found Oct 30, 2006
39. Heaven Traverse 2 MB Found Jan 14, 2005
40. Hillary Wilson 18 MB Found Aug 20, 2009
41. Irma Lynn Murdock 32 MB Missing June 16, 2000
42. Jacqueline Crazybull 43 AB Found July 11, 2007
43. Janine Wasaquate 20 SK Found Dec 8, 2004
44. Jarita Naistus 20 AB Found Oct 2, 2005
45. Jeanine Marie St. Jean 42 ON Found Nov 2006
46. Jeannette Jean Chief 49 SK Found June 6, 2007
47. Jennifer Catcheway 18 MB Missing June 19, 2008
48. Juanita Cardinal 27 AB Found Feb 26, 2006
49. Judy Quill 33 ON Found March 22, 2009
50. Katie Sylvia Ballantyne 40 AB Found July 7, 2003
51. Kelly Morrisseau 27 QC Found Dec 10, 2006
52. Leanne Benwell 27 AB Found June 21, 2007
53. Leslie Talley 29 AB Found Jan 6, 2010
54. Linda May Scott 29 AB Missing Sept 2000
55. Lorilee Mae Francis 24 AB Missing Oct 2007
56. Maisy Marie Odjick 16 QC Missing Sept 6, 2008
57. Marcia Viola Koostachin 24 MB Found July 30, 2005
58. Marie Lynn Lasas 19 SK Found June 21, 2007
59. Mary Susan Evans-Harlick 24 NL Found Dec 11, 2002
60. Maxine Wapass 23 SK Found Nov 2002
61. Melanie Dawn Geddes 24 SK Found Dec 2005
62. Melissa Chaboyer 35 MB Found Nov 6, 2005
63. Michella Hadwen 37 AB Found Oct 2009
64. Mildred Flett 51 MB Missing June 8, 2010
65. Moira Louise Erb 36 MB Found Sept 17, 2003
66. Nicole Daniels 16 MB Found April 1, 2009
67. Nicolle Hands 32 MB Found Oct 2, 2003
68. Pamela Jayne Holopainen 22 ON Missing Dec 14, 2003
69. Patricia Ann Quinn 33 BC Missing July 10, 2008
70. Rachel Quinney 19 AB Found May 2004
71. Ramona Shular 36 BC Missing Nov 2003
72. Rena Fox 38 ON Found Feb 28, 2003
73. Rhonda Gardiner 33 SK Found June 2004
74. Rose Brenda Decoteau 43 AB Found Oct 5, 2005
75. Roxanne Charlie 26 BC Found Oct 31, 2009
76. Roxanne Marie Isadore 24 AB Missing Sept 2007
77. Ruth Cocks 51 AB Found April 7, 2008
78. Sarah Obed 45 NL Found Aug 13, 2005
79. Savannah Hall 3 BC Found Jan 2001
80. Serena Colson 26 NL Found Feb 28, 2002
81. Shannon Alexander 17 QC Missing Sept 6, 2008
82. Sharon Nora Jane Abraham 39 BC Missing Jan 2004
83. Shelley Anderson 51 ON Missing Summer 2009
84. Shirley Ann Waquan 39 AB Missing July 1, 2007
85. Shirley Cletheroe 45 BC Missing June 10, 2006
86. Sunshine Wood 16 MB Missing Feb 20, 2004
87. Sylvia Ann Guiboche 20 MB Missing June 13, 2003
88. Tabitha Kalluk 38 NU Found Dec 25, 2002
89. Tamara Chipman 22 BC Missing Sept 21, 2005
90. Tamra Jewel Keepness 5 SK Missing July 5, 2004
91. Tanya Brooks 36 NS Found May 11, 2009
92. Terrie Ann Dauphinais 24 AB Found April 29, 2002
93. Thelma Pete 53 BC Found Dec 2, 2004
94. Therena Adelin Marsland (Silva) 35 MB Found Dec 15, 2002
95. Tiffany Morrison 24 QC Found May 31, 2010
96. Violet Heathen 49 AB Found Nov 2009