Hunt (552-554; 555-557); Notes on Redefining Colonial Violence

First Encounter: Nineteen years ago during undergraduate studies.
Initial Reflections: Personal journals served as the only reflections of Indigenous women's lives.
Influential Authors: Lee Maracle, Jeanette Armstrong, Beth Brant, Patricia Monture-Angus.
- Themes of Violence and Resilience: Prevalence of violence in their lives juxtaposed with strong resistance and resilience.
- Transformation of Experience: Stories turn shame and silence into strength and survival.

Catalyst: The suicide of a family member prompted a focus on violence in Indigenous communities.
Career Direction: An ongoing commitment to addressing issues of violence against women.

Emergence of Awareness: There’s a growing discussion regarding 'missing women' and the recognition of gendered violence.
Recent Events: Conviction of a serial killer in Vancouver highlights ongoing violence.
- Reality Check: Personal accounts reveal daily interpersonal violence continues, unaffected by increased visibility.

Shared Experiences: Similarity in stories of violence across various demographics (rural vs urban).
Target Groups: Indigenous daughters remain vulnerable to multiple forms of abuse, societal recognition is lagging.

Urgency for New Strategies: There's a need for innovative solutions to combat violence.
Colonial Dehumanization: Highlight that colonialism dehumanizes all Indigenous peoples, affecting everyone but particularly Indigenous girls, women, and two-spirit individuals.

Issues with Current Discourse: Language surrounding the issues of missing women dilutes the reality of their disappearance (e.g., language of bullying).
Reality of Violence: Emphasizes that violence includes severe actions like beating, kidnapping, and murder, not merely softer actions.

Ongoing Violence Reports: News articles sporadically report cases of missing girls without any sustained outrage or follow-up.
- National Efforts: Campaigns like Stolen Sisters and public vigils have had little impact on the acceptance of this violence.

Colonial Power Structures: Efforts to change must not further entrench colonial power.
Legal System Disappointment: Current legal frameworks reinforce oppression rather than provide support.

Reassessing Engagements: Need for comprehensive reassessment of public campaigns against violence to avoid reinforcing colonial ideologies.
Broadening Representation: Recognizing and elevating marginalized Indigenous voices is crucial.

Rebuilding Strength: Healing from violence requires the reconstruction of community bonds and systems.
Cultural Relearning: Focusing on Indigenous narratives and leadership to redefine concepts of power and violence.
- Importance of Traditional Knowledge: Centering local Indigenous knowledge is key in healing.

Walking With Our Sisters Project: A community-driven art project commemorating missing and murdered Indigenous women.
- Community Involvement: The project showcases a unified effort involving multiple community members.
- Symbolism in Art: The use of unsewn moccasin tops represents unfinished lives, honoring those who are missing and their families.

Violence Statistics: Aboriginal women in Canada report rates of violence 3.5 times higher than non-Aboriginal women.
Mortality Rates: Young Aboriginal women are five times more likely to die from violence compared to their non-Aboriginal peers.
Documented Cases: Over 1,181 murders and disappearances of Indigenous women and girls documented by RCMP between 1980 and 2012.
Funding Cuts Impact: Funding cuts to organizations like NWAC hinder ongoing efforts to document cases and support community initiatives.

Legacy of Indigenous Women’s Voices: Importance of preserving stories and amplifying marginalized voices in the context of colonial violence and systemic oppression.