Library Guides: Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People: Start Here

Books

Films/Documentaries

Finding Dawn
Acclaimed Métis filmmaker Christine Welsh brings us a compelling documentary that puts a human face on a national tragedy – the epidemic of missing or murdered Indigenous women in Canada. The film takes a journey into the heart of Indigenous women's experience, from Vancouver's skid row, down the Highway of Tears in northern BC, and on to Saskatoon, where the murders and disappearances of these women remain unsolved.
Nimiseyak Bigiwag
In this short film, four Anishinabe women recount their own personal experiences and views on racism and sexism, and how the two relate to Canada's missing and murdered Indigenous women.
This River
This short documentary offers an Indigenous perspective on the devastating experience of searching for a loved one who has disappeared. Volunteer activist Kyle Kematch and award-winning writer Katherena Vermette have both survived this heartbreak and share their histories with each other and the audience.
First Stories-Short Spirited
This short documentary presents the empowering story of Rodney "Geeyo" Poucette's struggle against prejudice in the Indigenous community as a two-spirited person (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender).
Woman Dress
Pre-contact, a Two Spirit person named Woman Dress travels the Plains, gathering and sharing stories. Featuring archival images and dramatized re-enactments, this film shares a Cuthand family oral story, honouring and respecting Woman Dress without imposing colonial binaries on them.

Art

"Art is a powerful tool for commemoration. Public commemorations, through art, can help bring forward personal stories of colonial violence. Art as commemoration bears witness to injustice, recognizes human dignity of victims and survivors, and calls institutions, systems and structures to account."

Check out these links to find some of those artistic expressions relating to missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people in Canada.

Ignorance by Terry McCue (2017)

Commemoration Projects

Introduction

The disproportionate number of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people (MMIG2S) in Canada is a human rights crisis. "In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada supported the call for a national public inquiry into the disproportionate victimization of Indigenous women and girls. The National Inquiry’s Final Report was completed and presented to the public on 3 June 2019" (The Canadian Encyclopedia).

This guide contains resources to learn about MMIWG2S and the path towards reconciliation.

Photo via CBC News

Websites

MMIWG Final Report
The National Inquiry’s Final Report (June, 2019) reveals that persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. The two volume report calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across the country.
National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
MMIWG Publications
Canada's Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Official Site
Amnesty International Canada: No More Stolen Sisters
Native Women’s Association of Canada - Community Resource Guide
Assembly of First Nations
Taken the Series: Stories of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women
Ontario Native Women's Association
KAIROS CANADA: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Bora Laskin Law Library's Special collection relating to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women In Canada

Recommended databases

iPortal
The Indigenous Studies Portal (iPortal) is a database of full-text electronic resources such as books, articles, theses and documents as well as digitized materials such as photographs, archival resources, maps, etc. focusing primarily on First Nations and Aboriginals of Canada with a secondary focus on North American materials and beyond.
NFB - Indigenous Cinema
Indigenous Cinema offers free streaming of more than 200 titles by Indigenous directors. Spanning both short and feature-length movies produced from 1968 to current
CBC Curio - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Access CBC Curio's "Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women" collection.

EBSCO Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
General academic database covers social sciences, humanities, pure and applied science, education, and multi-cultural studies. Full-text and peer-reviewed content.

News

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Attribution

Thank you to librarian technician, Ishrat Gulshan, for her care and attention in creating of the first iteration of this guide. It is currently maintained by School of Advancement librarian, Stephanie Power. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, email spower@centennialcollege.ca.

Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People: Start Here

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