Indigenous women, girls and Two‐Spirit people are six times more likely to be murdered than other women in Canada. An art installation by Jaime Black‐Morsette and KC Adams called Only in Darkness Can We See the Stars gives us hope that Indigenous women can reclaim their power and place in their communities.
Reclaiming Power and Place (Level 2 Gallery)
Indigenous Women and Their Rights to Safety and Justice
May 3, 2025 - April 5, 2030
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Photo: CMHR, Aaron Cohen
Exhibition details
Experience the story of Sky Woman against a backdrop of birchbark biting – an Indigenous artform specific to Turtle Island.
In this art installation, Sky Woman is at the centre of the story, reclaiming her sacred power and place. Below her is the land in the shape of a turtle and around her are the spirits of lost matriarchs represented by stars, birchbark bitings and empty red dresses. Together, these elements create an understanding of place, culture and identity.
Around the central white dress, two of the six red dresses include clay handprints. These marks denote a connection to the land and a symbol of advocacy. They speak to one of the first forms of art and highlight the relationship between Indigenous women and the very land we all come from; they also symbolize the too‐long silence of this epidemic of violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two‐Spirit people.
In all, this exhibit tells a story of creation, memory and solidarity that empowers Indigenous women, girls and Two‐Spirit people whose rights to safety and justice demand our collective care and action.
By depicting Indigenous women as the leaders of their communities across Turtle Island, Jaime Black‐Morsette and KC Adams are transforming the narrative of The REDress Project from loss and victimhood to empowerment and cultural resurgence.
Continuing the work that began in 2010, The REDress Project raises awareness of the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two‐Spirit people on Turtle Island and beyond.
Calls for Justice to All Canadians
Did you know that there are 231 Calls for Justice in the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two‐Spirit people?
Below are three of the Inquiry’s calls for justice. Consider how you could act on them in your own life.
(15.1) Denounce and speak out against violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people.
(15.3) Develop knowledge and read the Final Report. Listen to the truths shared, and acknowledge the burden of these human and Indigenous rights violations, and how they impact Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people today.
(15.5) Confront and speak out against racism, sexism, ignorance, homophobia, and transphobia, and teach or encourage others to do the same, wherever it occurs: in your home, in your workplace, or in social settings.
The MMIWG2S+ Support line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 1–844-413‑6649.
Video: We Gather Together
"We Gather Together” is a portrait of the power that exists in Indigenous peoples’ collective resistance to gender‐based violence and oppression.
This exhibit opens to the public in Canadian Journeys on May 3, 2025 – two days before Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two‐Spirit People. It is an extension of The REDress Project that was co‐created with support from the Museum. It offers visibility to community members who stand together and work to oppose harmful attitudes. It calls for every Indigenous woman, girl and Two‐Spirit person to be treated with dignity.
See more at the Museum
Ask Yourself
How can you play a role in raising awareness of violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two‐Spirit people?
How can you better support the families who are directly affected by this epidemic of violence against Indigenous women, girls and Two‐Spirit people?