Saturday, June 15 – 1pm – Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
Mississippi Mills All My Relations invites the public to a memorial installation ceremony to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQTIA+ people as part of The Canadian Library.
The Canadian Library is a country-wide, community-engaged initiative to create a permanent art memorial of 8000 books as testament to the lives lost and the grief suffered by their loved ones. Books wrapped in Indigenous-designed fabrics with gold-lettered names on the spines is a powerful way to hold space and remember. Some books will remain nameless to represent those who may never have a chance to tell their story.
For the past several months, the Mississippi Mills community has been actively participating in the Canadian Library initiative. Over 100 individuals, including 32 high school students, attended gatherings to reflect, learn, acknowledge, and respectfully cover books. Shop windows, libraries and the high school displayed the books with an explanatory poster. The continuous support and thoughtful feedback represent the community’s willingness and shared commitment to truth and reconciliation.
The June 15 memorial installation is an opportunity for us to join as one community, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to commemorate and to hold space for MMIWG and 2SLGBTQQTIA+ people. This tragedy is a loss for all of us. Together we will honour, we will grieve, and we will move towards healing.
Elder Barb Brant, Mohawk, Turtle Clan will lead the ceremony, with Knowledge Keeper Dylan Jenkins. Tony Belcourt, Métis Knowledge Keeper and Elder, and Mayor Christa Lowry will provide welcoming addresses. We will read and honour each name represented on the books.
Seating capacity is 75. Please register at https://June15Ceremony.eventbrite.ca Once seating capacity is reached, people are encouraged to join for standing room only. The elderly will be seated first. This free event will last about an hour.
The books will remain at the textile museum until a permanent home, a museum or art gallery, is chosen for the 8000 Canadian Library books.
“Through Art. We Reconcile, We Reconnect. And We Rebuild.” The Canadian Library
