The first Red Dress Day gathering in Morley yesterday is seen as the first major step in speaking out about the missing and murdered Indigenous people in the Stoney Nakoda Nation.

Many people gathered on Red Dress Day for a Community Vigil/drive-thru that included speakers, singers, prayer, and the presentation of ribbon skirts to several families left grieving from the loss of women and girls. The number of red dresses hanging from the fence at the Morley RCMP detachment grew in number through the course of the day.

In Cochrane, a smaller number visited the drive-thru established at the St. Andrew's United Church. There, people could drive past several stations, each marked with a red dress that provided some information. More details were available by scanning a QR Code.

Elsewhere in Cochrane, The Clothesline store had a display of red dresses in their window. They also provided some red dresses for display elsewhere.

Gloria Snow is the Town of Cochrane Equity and Inclusion Committee Indigenous advisor. Seeing that there were initiatives that could be done in Stoney Nakoda, she joined with others to organize the drive-thru event that received widespread support from the community.

Gloria is one of many who has been personally touched by the unanswered question of her aunt Evelyn Snow, who was found deceased by the railway tracks in Cochrane on March 20, 1977. She says they've always had questions about what exactly happened.

But it cuts deeper than that.

"One of the things my matriarch advocates is the pain never goes away. Part of her died when her sister passed, and it’s been 40-plus years."

Each year the family stops to remember Evelyn on Mar. 20th.

"Her family came out to Morley today, and they were presented with ribbon skirts for her and her daughter."

The number of ribbon skirts presented is a testimony of how deeply this has impacted the First Nation.

"A lot of these women and families think that their loved ones are forgotten, so as we say their name, as we hang the dress, as we make ribbon skirts, it's a poignant reminder."

There is a database in the works to better understand its extent.

For some families, it's something that's not openly discussed. More may be encouraged to step forward by the success of the gathering.

"This is touching the whole community, this is engagement, this is a real personal visceral story that impacts people. Through our one personal story and many other personal stories, we lament."

"There are all kinds of emotions. Grief, loss, anger, there are questions, and in some cases there’s injustice."

"They become personal legacies of upholding and honouring all of our women, all of our girls, all of our sisters."

"People are healing, they're grieving, they're in different stages, so we’re hoping to assist them where they're at."

There are 231 recommendations according to the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. 

"We carry the loved ones in our hearts, and now we carry that for the world to see, for the outer communities to see, by creating greater awareness and advocacy. for MMIWGQ2S."

"All of this is a building force, and I’m so proud of the work that we, as a collective, have done."

Planning committee member Daryl Kootenay started his day at the Canmore Collegiate High School, where he sang the honour song, then returned to Morley.

"This movement across the country, across the world hits close to home, especially within the Stoney Nakoda Nation where it's been hitting inside our community fairly recently and for so long. I think our community is understanding the importance of having a voice, and the need to come together and find a way to support each, especially with our missing and murdered Indigenous women, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, aunties. It's important for us to recognize those who have gone through tragedy, that are grieving, and to be able to support each other through that process.."

There have been two more such tragedies in recent weeks, including Keesha Crawler, who was honoured yesterday in both Canmore and Morley.

"There's definitely a long trail that we're starting to shine some light on and supporting families that are in that grief and loss situation."

He says while it's tough right now during the pandemic, people are starting to realize they are in a position to make things happen with community partners throughout the Bow Valley.

"I think our community has been quiet, has been holding things in for a long time. I think we're at the stage in our journey as a community where we're starting to understanding the importance of sharing our voice, our gifts, abilities, and advocating for the truth, happy relationships, movements, and partnerships to move forward."

You can find regularly updated information on the MMIWG2S & MMIP Cochrane Facebook page by cliicking here.