Statue to honour missing, murdered indigenous women, girls unveiled in Saskatoon

A statue has been unveiled in Saskatoon outside police headquarters to honour missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. (Photo: Kevin Waugh, MP/Facebook)

SASKATOON — A statue has been unveiled in Saskatoon outside police headquarters to honour missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

The life-sized bronze sculpture depicts a woman named Wicanhpi Duta Win or Red Star Woman, a fancy dancer with her shawl as her wings.

Police Chief Clive Weighill says the police service is honoured to be the home for the monument.

Tribal Chief Felix Thomas says the statue reflects the concern the community has for even one indigenous murdered or missing woman or girl.

An RCMP report in 2014 said police had identified nearly 1,200 missing or murdered indigenous women and girls in Canada.

Hearings for the national inquiry are to begin this month in Whitehorse.

“The Saskatoon Tribal Council has been working with the Saskatoon Police Service, the City of Saskatoon and the Province since 2015 to acknowledge the tremendous importance of focusing on our murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls,” Thomas said Friday in a release.