Community members in Behchokǫ̀ are invited to participate in an awareness walk on May 5, 2026, to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people. The event, which coincides with the national Red Dress Day, will begin at 1:00 PM at Elizabeth Mackenzie Elementary School.
Organized by the Tłı̨chǫ Government, specifically its Justice and Victim Services and Community Wellness departments, the event serves as a space for collective healing and remembrance. Following the walk, attendees are invited to the Kǫ̀ Gocho Sportsplex Centre for a traditional Feeding of the Fire ceremony and a community barbecue.
May 5 is recognized across Canada as a day of activism for missing and murdered Indigenous people. This crisis remains a significant concern for communities, as Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to be murdered than non-Indigenous women in Canada. Despite making up less than 5 percent of the national population, they represent approximately 24 percent of all female homicide victims.
The awareness efforts in the community follow a preparatory beading night held on May 2, where participants gathered at the elementary school to create red dress beadwork and earrings as symbols of remembrance. These events align with ongoing national efforts to address the findings of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The inquiry’s 2019 report identified the violence faced by Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people as a form of genocide and issued 231 Calls for Justice to address its root causes.
