WILSON, Mich. (WZMQ) – One year ago, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed May 5 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day. The Hannahville Indian Community recognized the day with a Healing and Prayer Walk.
Community members walked in honor of their missing and murdered relatives and to raise awareness of the issue.
“We have so many cases of those who go missing that never get followed up,” said Hannahville Victim Services director Wendy Middaugh. “We never find them again. A lot of the perpetrators in these cases are non-Native, so they may go far from here.”
Participants gathered before the walk to remember those they have lost. Many wore shirts with the phrase “No More Stolen Sisters,” highlighting the large number of Indigenous women who went missing and never returned home to their loved ones.
“Native American women suffer the highest rate of domestic violence in the country,” said Tribal chairperson Kenneth Meshigaud. “Four out of five Native American women experience domestic violence in their lifetime.”
One of those women was the focus of the day’s events. Jolene Shepherd was an active and loved member of the Hannahville Indian Community who went missing. She was eventually found murdered.
“That was a really rough time for our community,” said Mia Smith, Hannahville Career Development and Higher Education director. “It’s great to see such a great turnout in her memory this year.”
Middaugh says the group also walked for other missing Indigenous people–including members of the LGBTQ+ community who may have run away or been taken.
“Within the tribe, we recognize our LGBTQ community completely, but that’s something we want to do better at and make everybody feel comfortable,” she said.
Community members from every generation participated in the walk, from elders to students at Hannahville Indian School.
“I really just hope it brings a little more awareness to the situation itself,” said eighth grade student Carly Bebo. “I bet everybody here has at least probably one family member that has gone missing.”
“I hope that we can find a solution on how we can keep our families together, our people together,” said Elder Vicki Dowd. “We have missing women here, and I hope that we can keep their legacy alive.
Middaugh says the long-term goal is to find ways to recover those people whose cases have gone cold, as well as to decrease the number of cases going forward. She says a protocol is in the works between multiple tribes, law enforcement, and Hannahville Victim Services.
“We want to make sure that people are aware that this happens so they can pay attention when somebody goes missing,” said Middaugh. “We want people to know what that means.”
For the day though, organizers hope the walk provided some healing and comfort for those who are grieving.
To learn more about the Hannahville Indian Community or to show support, visit hannahville.net or visit the Heritage Building at N15756 B-1 Road.
