The Changemakers group from Indian Head High School (IHHS) organized their second annual Moose Hide Campaign Day program last week.
Paul Lacerte and his daughter Raven started the Moose Hide Campaign in 2011 when they were hunting moose near the Highway of Tears in British Columbia. Similar to Red Dress Day, or the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) that is commemorated on May 5, Moose Hide Campaign Day is an opportunity to stand against gender-based violence. The campaign uses Indigenous teachings and seeks to end violence against women by promoting a healthy masculinity and relationships, challenging men to stand up for women.
The program in Indian Head began early on May 11 with a sunrise ceremony at a tipi erected beside the Town Office. Later that morning, meetings were held with students in the IHHS gymnasium. This included a panel discussion and Robin Sveinbjornson, faculty leader for the Changemakers, said it was exactly what people needed to hear. She also appreciated the collaboration with Keenan Cummings from tatawaw Student Centre at the University of Regina, who worked alongside the Changemakers to organize the day’s activities.
After lunch, the entire student body from IHHS were joined by a few students from the elementary school. The group walked from the high school, down Grand Avenue and back up Bell Street. The Changemakers carried a banner identifying their association with the Moose Hide Campaign, along with signs bearing slogans like “No More Stolen Sisters.”
The RCMP provided an escort to ensure participants’ safety as they made their way through town. Passersby looked on with curiosity as the procession moved down the street.
Sveinbjornson encouraged the students to think about the women in their lives while they walked.
“All of our women are sacred, they give us life,” she said. “Today we walk to end violence against women and people in the LGBTQ community.”
The Changemakers concluded their Moose Hide Campaign Day with a pipe ceremony and feast at the tipi.
