For the last four months, Gwich’in Man Caribou Legs has been running along the Trans-Canada highway – an estimated 7500km journey – to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and to honour his sister who passed away due to domestic violence.
Covering an average of 75km a day, in the space of four months Caribou Legs has traveled from Vancouver, British Columbia to Montreal, Quebec. He is heading to St. Johns in Newfoundland and hopes to finish his journey in November.
Researchers from the Native Women’s Association of Canada estimate that since 1980 as many as 4000 First Nations women have been murdered or gone missing.
Caribou Legs says his journey was sparked by his sister’s passing.
Recently Canada has launched an inquiry into MMIW, examining the factors that has led to what many are calling a crisis. Caribou Legs says that the inquiry is a good start, although he hopes it won’t be swept under the table.
Caribou Legs says that although he is accepted in most places he goes, he still encounters racism.
Though Caribou Legs has been running for months, Noongar man Clinton Pryor has recently embarked on his walk for justice. Clinton is walking from Perth to Canberra in hopes that he can get an audience with the Prime Minister to discuss the issues affecting his people and other First Nations communities he encounters along the way.
Caribou Legs says that it is important for Clinton to keep his hopes up.
(FEATURE IMAGE: Caribou Legs)
