by Alison White, Communications Officer, Qalipu

Qalipu First Nation is pleased to announce its commitment to honouring the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) through the installation of a dedicatory space outside our head office in Corner Brook. This initiative is being made possible through a commemorative fund provided by the Department of Women and Gender Equality, and the generosity of the City of Corner Brook, an integral partner in the development of this shared city space.

The project will culminate in a shared space for surrounding communities, for cultural and ceremonial gatherings. The Band envisions annual gatherings on October 4th, a day set aside specifically to honour lost women and girls and they hope to see community groups use the space all through the year.

Preliminary design concepts focus on incorporating elements of the medicine wheel, in a circular gathering space that could accommodate around 100 people. However, Band Chief Brendan Mitchell noted that plans will not be finalized until consultation has been completed.

“This is a significant and important project to honour missing and murdered women and girls, and their loved ones,” noted Qalipu Band Chief Brendan Mitchell, “we have letters of support from surrounding municipalities, we’ve met with the Indigenous women’s groups in this area, and we’re about to host public consultation. It’s important that our community people tell us what they would like to see, and how they envision u ...