Latest news with #Giganawenimaanaanig
CBC
4 days ago
- CBC
Unidentified woman found dead last year in Winnipeg hotel to be known as Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe
Social Sharing WARNING: This story contains distressing details A year after the death of a woman whose body was found in a Winnipeg hotel, police are still trying to find out who she was — but for now, she has been given the spirit name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe. The name, which translates to "Buffalo Woman" in English, was given to the woman at a Wednesday evening pipe ceremony. On Thursday, Giganawenimaanaanig — the province's MMIWG2S+ implementation committee — hosted a news conference to announce the name, and to again ask for help to identify her. "We are here today as a kind of a celebration.… It's a time of sadness as well, but there's joy," said Thelma Morrisseau, who delivered an opening prayer at Thursday's news conference. "We have been able to take care of some really important matters for our relatives, those ones that have passed on into the spirit world." The woman now known as Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe was found dead on Aug. 10, 2024, at the Manwin Hotel building on Main Street. Police released a sketch of her in September last year in hopes of identifying her. Although foul play is not suspected in her death, police said no one at the hotel knew who she was or where she had come from. "[We're] hoping that together, we can connect this woman with her loved one," Winnipeg Police Service Sgt. Ashley Hartle said at Thursday's news conference. A new sketch of the woman and additional details were shared on Thursday. She had two small tattoos, one reading "SN" on her right wrist and "SS" on the back of her right hand. She also had a metal plate on her left clavicle from a broken collarbone that would have been visible through her skin, according to a news release on Thursday She's described as Indigenous, around 25 to 40 years old, and about five feet seven inches tall, with a slender build. She had shoulder-length black hair and brown eyes. She had no remaining upper teeth, and had a papilloma above her left eyebrow, the release said. She was last seen wearing black pants with a bright yellow stripe, a grey Bench hoodie and black running shoes. She also had a blue-and-grey Roots brand carry-on suitcase and a tan purse. A name shared The spirit name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe was previously used to identify Ashlee Shingoose. The woman from St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation was the first victim of a Winnipeg serial killer who has also been convicted in the deaths of three other First Nations women. Shingoose, who was killed in March 2022, wasn't identified until earlier this year, and was given the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe in late 2022 by Indigenous community members who didn't want her referred to as an unknown victim. "We said that can't continue — she is loved, she is valued, she was someone's daughter," said Morrisseau, one of the people who gave Shingoose the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe. Morrisseau said that name comes from the teachings given to a grandmother from Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation during a fast around 30 years ago. The name was given to the grandmother by a buffalo spirit who visited her, said Morrisseau, and was meant to be given as a gift to Anishinaabe women "so that they could rise up … so they could walk in this creation with their head up, and know how beautiful they are." "I can't think of anything more powerful or more beautiful than to be able to repeat her name again and again," she said. 'Small details can be a big thing' Indigenous leaders asked the community at large to talk about Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe and pray for her real name to be found. "We need your help," Southern Chiefs' Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels said Thursday. "If you know something, anything, do not be silent. Your voice could bring another of our relatives, one of our sisters, one of our mothers, one of our people home." The death of Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe underscores the importance of making the safety of Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ+ people a national priority, Daniels said. "Too many of our loved ones have been taken, and we cannot allow this to continue," he said. "Our women deserve to be identified … and her family deserves closure." Amara LeClair, a family support co-ordinator at the Infinity Women Secretariat — a non-profit affiliated with the Manitoba Métis Federation that advocates for Métis women — said it is possible Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe's family doesn't know she is missing, since some missing people have become estranged from their relatives. Winnipeg police are asking anyone with information about Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe to contact the missing persons unit at 204-986-6250, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS). LeClair also said anyone who needs support to make a report can contact Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, the Southern Chiefs' Organization or the Infinity Women Secretariat. "Even small details can be a big thing," she said. "You never know what you know that somebody else doesn't." Unidentified woman found dead at Winnipeg hotel given spirit name 1 hour ago An unidentified Indigenous woman whose body was found at the Manwin Hotel on Main Street in Winnipeg just over a year ago has been given the spirit name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, or Buffalo Woman. It's the same name given three years ago to Ashlee Shingoose, a previously unidentified victim of a now convicted serial killer. Crisis support is available for anyone affected by these reports and the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people through a national 24-hour hotline at 1-844-413-6649. Health support services such as mental health counselling, community-based support and cultural services, and some travel costs to see elders and traditional healers are available through the government of Canada. Family members seeking information about a missing or murdered loved one can access Family Information Liaison Units.
Global News
4 days ago
- Global News
Woman found dead last August remains unidentified, Winnipeg police say
Winnipeg police are asking the public for help in identifying a woman found dead a year ago at the Manwin Hotel. Police said Thursday that they issued a similar public appeal in September of last year, but still haven't had any success. The initial investigation determined there was nothing criminal about the woman's death, but police — who are working alongside cultural advocacy organization Giganawenimaanaanig — are still hoping to return the mystery woman's remains to her family. 'This is not a criminal investigation,' said Sgt. Ashley Hartle of Winnipeg Police Service. 'Rather we're assisting the chief medical examiner's office in partnership with community hoping that together we can connect this woman to her loved ones.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy She has been given the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe — or 'Buffalo Woman' — by the family of Ashlee Shingoose, the victim of a Winnipeg serial killer. Shingoose was also referred to as Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe until her remains were identified this past March. Story continues below advertisement The woman is described as between the ages of 25-40, around five-feet-seven-inches in height with a slender build, and with shoulder-length dark hair and brown eyes. Police said she also had a number of identifying features, including two tattoos: the letters 'SN' on her right wrist and 'SS' on the back of her right hand. She also had no remaining upper teeth at the time of her death and a metal plate with screws attached to her clavicle. She was last seen wearing black pants with a bright yellow stripe, black running shoes, and a grey hoodie with the word 'Bench' on it. She was also carrying a blue/grey Roots-branded suitcase and a tan purse. If you have any information that could help identify her, you can contact Winnipeg police at 204-986-6250 or WPS-missingpersons@ 0:25 Winnipeg police look to identify mystery woman found dead Aug. 10
Winnipeg Free Press
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wildfire evacuation underscores need for Red Dress Alert system
Opinion The grassroots organization Giganawenimaanaanig released an interim report this week on the progress of the proposed Red Dress Alert, an initiative that would notify the public and help co-ordinate responses when an Indigenous woman, girl, or two-spirit person goes missing. Similar to an Amber Alert, which is issued when a child goes missing, the program responds to the calls for justice in the national inquiry on murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls and the parliamentary motion put forward by Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan in 2023 to create the initiative. After receiving unanimous support in Parliament, a $1.3-million fund was established to research and make recommendations on how the program could be implemented nationally. Manitoba stepped up to take the lead. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Giganawenimaanaanig called on all governments to implement the Red Dress Alert program by early- to mid-2026. After consulting with 29 urban, rural, and First Nations and Métis communities throughout Manitoba, Giganawenimaanaanig called on all governments to implement the program by early- to mid-2026. 'Every day that the Red Dress Alert is not implemented,' project lead Denise Cook said, 'is a day that someone could go missing.' In the wake of four murders of Indigenous women by a serial killer in Winnipeg, and countless other MMIWG in Manitoba, the value of a Red Dress Alert is obvious. When considered alongside the amount of young women and two-spirit people in the child welfare system, the rise in domestic violence, and a city of Winnipeg police force that called the search for Indigenous female remains at a landfill 'unfeasible,' the initiative is need more than ever. It's needed now, in fact. More than 17,000 evacuees, mostly from northern First Nations, have been displaced owing to wildfires. In excess of 10,000 of them are in hotels or other lodgings in Winnipeg. That means this city has had an influx of thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit peoples — individuals preyed upon by many forces here. It's well-known that when Indigenous peoples are evacuated due to fires, floods, or some other traumatizing disaster, certain considerations in the health, justice, and emergency management systems must take place. For instance, many First Nations are alcohol-free due to a long history of complicated relationships with substance use. This community law is impossible to maintain off-reserve but community leaders combat the issue in other ways: such as by providing extra mental health services, family-building events, and even patrols to support people during their time as refugees. The same could be said about health, justice, and even governance. Simply put, due to a long history of political mistreatment, Indigenous communities require specific considerations when displaced by disasters. The issue of MMIWG2S+ is a disaster, too. Combined with recent fire evacuations, the situation has become critical. All this week, Indigenous social media has been full of individuals working overtime to protect Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit peoples from nefarious forces. 'I'm gathering a crew of helpers this evening,' posted activist Rylee Nepinak of the downtown patrol group Anishiative. 'After speaking to multiple sources (mainly our women), it's clear we need as many boots on the ground watching for any predatory/exploitative signs (and) talk to the kids about safety.' Indigenous leaders are reporting that predators have approached displaced vulnerable individuals online and in person to offer drugs, alcohol, and invite them to 'party' in a private home — where a sexual or physical assault can easily take place. Advocates have created a list of 'safety tips when heading out in Winnipeg' that include: travelling in pairs, informing family and support staff of travel and return plans, and keeping location apps activated on their cellphones. Isabel Daniels, a vulnerable person advocate, warned in a post: 'Nothing is for free: if people are offering FREE substances SAY NO… Please be cautious of the things people are offering, Fentanyl is in a lot of street drugs.' Daniels also posted a dire message: 'People offering you FREE clothing, cellphones and liquor can be human traffickers, ALWAYS SAY NO.' Winnipeg police are joining the fight to educate and keep Indigenous people safe by providing extra officers and visits to evacuee shelters and printing 3,000 pamphlets with emergency contacts and tips to remain safe. Similar situations have been reported in other cities where evacuees are being sheltered, such as Thompson and Brandon. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Community groups have recommended Indigenous families take photos of their female and two-spirit members in case a missing person report needs to be filed. If one didn't know better, one might see the release of the Red Dress Alert interim report, alongside a real-life emergency related to the safety of Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit individuals, as a well-planned political move. It isn't. It's evidence the issue is urgent, laid bare right before our very eyes, now more than ever. Red Dress Alert report Niigaan SinclairColumnist Niigaan Sinclair is Anishinaabe and is a columnist at the Winnipeg Free Press. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CBC
03-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Red Dress Alert program must be in place by May 2026, says report from organization leading project
Social Sharing All levels of government must act quickly to establish a notification system within the next year that would help find missing Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people in Manitoba, the organization spearheading the project says. A Red Dress Alert would prompt notifications to the public whenever an Indigenous woman, girl or two-spirit person goes missing, as an Amber Alert does now for missing children. Giganawenimaanaanig, the Manitoba committee implementing calls for justice from the national MMIWG inquiry, released an interim report on Tuesday detailing the development of the program, which started after Manitoba MP Leah Gazan put forth a motion in Parliament in 2023 to fund an alert system. Survivors and family members, along with leadership and representatives from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, attended 29 engagement sessions held as of January throughout the province, in both rural and urban communities, the report says. Participants in the engagement sessions stressed the "extreme urgency" of establishing an effective notification system, the report says, and Giganawenimaanaanig is now calling on all three levels of government to get the program running by May 2026 at the latest. "Every day that the Red Dress Alert is not implemented is a day that someone could go missing," project lead Denise Cook said at a Tuesday news conference. A public survey is currently being conducted for those who were unable to attend the engagement sessions, with over 1,000 responses received in the month of May alone, said Sandra DeLaronde, the chair of Giganawenimaanaanig. The program will differ from existing notification systems, since it will be guided by those families and communities, DeLaronde said. "This alert is really going to be built on their words," she said at the news conference. "When a Red Dress Alert saves a life, it's because of all the people who provided their ideas, thoughts and opinions on how this should be done in a good way." The alert system will also need a co-operative and co-ordinated effort across jurisdictions and agencies to keep tabs on youth who've run away from foster care, as well as those experiencing gender-based violence, housing insecurity and/or human trafficking, the report says. The next steps are to meet with those agencies, said Cook. Participants in the engagement sessions overwhelmingly said that they are "not being listened to, not being taken seriously, not being given the resources or the time that they need from those service providers that are there — that are supposed to be there but are not there," said Cook. "There are gaps, and we recognize that individuals and systems do not necessarily … perform in the way that they should be, but it's so significant in the Indigenous community," she said. "A lot of communities have been left to do what they can with what they have." The alert system's success will depend on all Manitobans, said Cook. Evacuees 'vulnerable and targeted' The program is also making considerations for people who go missing after travelling to an urban centre from a remote or northern community, and those who may be vulnerable after leaving a hospital or other institution that's far from their home, the report says. It's something that hits close to home, said DeLaronde, as thousands are currently evacuated from northern Manitoba communities due to wildfires. "People told us that when they were evacuated, they were in fact vulnerable and targeted" in larger urban centres, DeLaronde said. While planning for the alert system continues, DeLaronde said more patrols in and around hotels and evacuation sites, as well as a response line to call if someone goes missing, are ways to help keep those fleeing fires safe. At a separate news conference, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said her organization is looking at addressing safety concerns in spaces where displaced people are staying, and is working to bring in wraparound support for those forced from their homes. "We know that these sites are now a target for predators, for human traffickers, for drug dealers," she said. Participants said there's no single technique or technology for an alert system to reach everyone, but they'd want it to be more than just a way to distribute missing persons reports, which can desensitize the public with frequent use, the Giganawenimaanaanig interim report says. Clear criteria for the notification system must be widely publicized, participants said, and expectations of how police and other government agencies should respond to cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, must also be written into law to ensure accountability, it says. A final report on the Red Dress Alert program's engagement sessions, with recommendations, is expected to be released in October. Extreme urgency' for MMIWG alerts: report 1 hour ago Duration 2:03 The Manitoba team working on a provincewide Red Dress Alert system will meet with police, child welfare agencies and sports groups. The Red Dress Alert would prompt notifications to the public whenever an Indigenous woman, girl or two-spirit person goes missing, as an Amber Alert does now for missing children.
CBC
03-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Red Dress Alert program must be put in place by May 2026: Giganawenimaanaanig
All levels of government must act quickly to establish a notification system by May 2026 that would help find missing Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people in Manitoba, the organization spearheading the project says. A Red Dress Alert would prompt notifications to the public whenever an Indigenous woman, girl or two-spirit person goes missing, as an Amber Alert does now for missing children. Giganawenimaanaanig, the Manitoba committee implementing calls for justice from the national MMIWG inquiry, released an interim report on Tuesday detailing the development thus far of the program, which started after Manitoba MP Leah Gazan put forth a motion in Parliament in 2023 to fund an alert system. Survivors, family members, leadership and representatives from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities attended 29 engagement sessions held as of January throughout the province in northern, southern, rural and urban communities, the report says. The program will differ from pre-existing notification systems, since it will be guided by those families and communities, project lead Sandra Delaronde said. "This alert is really going to be built on their words," she said at a news conference on Tuesday. "When a Red Dress Alert saves a life, it's because of all the people who provided their ideas, thoughts and opinions on how this should be done in a good way." A public survey is currently being conducted for those who were unable to attend the engagement sessions, with over 1,000 responses received in the month of May alone, Delaronde said. Participants in the engagement sessions stressed the "extreme urgency" of establishing an effective notification system, the report says, and Giganawenimaanaanig now calls on all three levels of government to get the program running by May 2026 at the latest. Participants also said there's no single technique or technology for an alert system to reach everyone, but they'd want it to be more than just a way to distribute missing persons reports, which can desensitize the public with frequent use, the report says. Clear criteria for the notification system must be widely publicized, participants said, and expectations of how police and other government agencies should respond to cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls must also be written into law to ensure accountability, the report says. The alert system will also need a co-operative and co-ordinated effort across jurisdictions and between agencies to keep tabs on youth who've run away from foster care, as well as those experiencing gender-based violence, housing insecurity and/or human trafficking, the report says.
