Bruce County Museum to host event honouring missing, murdered Indigenous women and girls

In recognition of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Day, the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre welcomes artists Destiny Roote (above, left) and Melissa Comyn for a discussion on the opening of the art installation, “Buffalo Woman,” followed by a screening of the CBC’s The Fifth Estate documentary, “A Sister’s Promise,” May 9.

“Buffalo Woman” is a powerful art installation that calls upon the spirit of the buffalo — provider, protector, and symbol of survival — to honour those lost and demand justice. Through visual storytelling, traditional materials and community voices, the installation serves as a site of remembrance, reflection and resistance.

In Indigenous traditions, the “Buffalo Woman” represents strength, resilience and sacred protection. Yet across Canada, Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people continue to go missing and be murdered at an alarming rate, their absence leaving an unfillable void in their families and communities.

The installation, which will be on display at the museum, May 1-31, is both a tribute and a call to action, urging visitors to acknowledge the ongoing crisis, listen to the stories of those left behind and stand in solidarity for change. Additional art pieces on display accompanying the installation include:
 

• Woven sash (Jenna McGuire)
• Tall Dancer Boot (Jenna Parsons, Kuujjuaq)
• Red Buffalo Earrings (Alisha Finch, Whitefish River First Nation, Bear Clan)
• Medicine Bag (Brent Henry)

Following the artists' talk, guests are invited to a special screening of the CBC’s The Fifth Estate documentary, “A Sister’s Promise,” in the museum’s theatre.

The film, guest-hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Connie Walker, investigates the decades-old unsolved murder of Sonya Cywink, whose sister, Meggie, has taken the search for justice into her own hands — uncovering leads that police overlooked and seeking answers to the mystery of Sonya’s death.

A member of the Okanese First Nation, Walker has spent more than two decades shedding light on often overlooked stories within Indigenous communities.

Coffee, tea and treats will be provided. This event is free to attend. For full details and registration, visit www.brucemuseum.ca/.