Stephanie English of Piikani Nation brought the following statement to Shootin’ the Breeze before setting out Sept. 20 on this year’s Calling My/Our Spirit Back Unity Walk. Inspired by the deaths of two of Stephanie’s daughters, it carries a message of remembrance and healing while honouring families of missing and murdered Indigenous and two-spirit people, residential school survivors and all impacted. This year’s walk, the ninth annual, is a walk, ride, run format from Brocket to Vancouver, and a finale at the Sisters in Spirit gathering in Calgary on Oct. 4. She asked it to be printed exactly as written.

Our walk is more than footsteps. It is my mother’s love for our daughters. It’s prayer and a call for Justice. My greatest dream is to one day bring my daughter Joey-Tiiah’s remains home from the landfills and to lay her to rest with dignity. Joey-Tiiah Gentle Woman deserves this.

Until that day comes, I will continue walking, not only for my daughters but for every MMIWM2S+ person and for every family still searching and morning praying and waiting.

I walk so our families do not lose hope or faith. I walk carrying the love of those who have gone into the spirit world, believing their spirits are beside us. Singing, dancing and praying, and reminding us to do good in this life.

I also walk for our younger generations. I want them to see that we can break cycles within our families and communities with truth, honesty and respect. We can follow our visions and teachings given us, stand together, protect one another, and protect the lands that held our people for thousands of years to this day.

This journey is about Unity. We must stand together as One people and One Nation.

No mother should have to fight to have a landfill searched for their Child. No human being should be treated as garbage or as disposable trash.

Until our loved ones are brought home, we will continue to walk, pray, speak their names and demand that they are not forgotten. As a mother, this is a 365-day reminder why I speak and seek help and support of the four directions across Turtle Island.

Search All Landfills. Bring Gentle Woman (Joey-Tiiah) and our loved ones home.

Protect our daughters, sisters, mothers, grandmothers/fathers, uncles, nephews and two-spirited, and our future Generations.

We walk for those who cannot walk beside us. We speak for those whose voices were taken and not heard.

And we will not stop until they come home.

This is for all walks of life, yet it hits harder for me as a First Nation mama bear.

Love,

Natowawhkii (Walking Holy Woman)

Stephanie English