- Details
- By Elyse Wild
The garments were installed on May 15 to commemorate MMIP Awareness Month under a permit KIC held from the U.S. Forestry Service. By the time the installation was scheduled to come down on May 31, 48 of the dresses were missing. In recent days, photos have been surfacing on social media showing some of the dresses crumpled near the lakeside trail, half buried or discarded in piles near drain pipes.
The tribe’s council issued a statement condemning “a hurtful and disrespectful act that undermines the efforts to bring understanding and raise awareness about the MMIP epidemic.”
Similar installations are featured throughout Canada and the United States during May to bring awareness to the disproportionate number of Indigenous people who are victims of violent crimes or go missing.
Murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women, with the murder rate ten times higher than the national average for women living on reservations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2021, Alaska reported 229 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous persons — 149 missing and 80 murdered.
Gloria Burns, KIC’s vice president and the chair of the social services committee, told local radio station KRBD that the tribe hung the dresses with remembrance and intention in an effort to create a “safe space.”
“And so when you’re going through that process of trying to create a safe space, and then it’s intentionally made unsafe, it feels very much like a violation,” Burns told KRBD. “I think, you know, the hard part is that missing and murdered indigenous people, it’s been happening since colonization, we really don’t talk about it. We really haven’t spoken those to the outside community.”
Anyone with information on the vandalization is encouraged to contact local law enforcement.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
National Indian Gaming Commission Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland Honored with Woman Warrior Award
Haaland Speaks Directly to Voters on Trump, GOP Cuts to Clean Energy Jobs & Electricity Savings for NM Families
Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?
Our mission draws from the warrior spirit that has sustained Indigenous peoples for generations — the same spirit that drives us to stand guard over tribal rights through relentless investigation and fearless reporting.
Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.
Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today.
