Today, May 16, is Moose Hide Campaign Day. This campaign is a decade-old grassroots movement created to engage Indigenous and non-Indigenous men and boys in taking a stand against violence towards Indigenous women and children. It has since grown into a nationwide movement of people from local communities, First Nations, governments, schools, colleges/universities, and many other organizations – all committed to taking action to end this violence.
This campaign is fully inclusive: People of all ages, genders and cultures are encouraged to participate in the Moose Hide Campaign. The Moose Hide Campaign aims to create inclusive and safe spaces for all participants, including those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+.
CLBC is honoured to participate in Moose Hide for the third year.
There are many ways to participate, including: wearing a Moose Hide pin, registering for today’s campaign day, participating in online webinars and workshops, and men are invited to fast (health permitting) to deepen their commitment to ending gender-based and domestic violence in Canada.
Wearing a Moose Hide pin and participating in the campaign are ways to:
- Support reconciliation: Address legacies of colonization, residential schools, and the reality of the over 1,200 missing or murdered Indigenous women in Canada.
- Promote cultural sensitivity, anti-racism, and diversity: The campaign is grounded in Indigenous ceremony and traditional ways of learning and healing.
- Help end violence: Gain understanding of the issues of domestic and gender-based violence.
- Create safe spaces: Help create environments that are free from harassment and violence.
Origins of the Moose Hide Campaign
From the Moose Hide Campaign website:
“One decade ago, co-founders Paul and his daughter Raven were hunting moose to help feed their family for the winter and provide for cultural purposes. This was a grounding tradition on their land that passed knowledge from one generation to the other, something the residential school system tried to erase.
They felt connected to their surroundings within their Carrier territory along the Highway of Tears in Northern BC where so many women have gone missing or been murdered. And they were inspired.
Paul knew his young daughter deserved a life of dignity and respect free from violence.
And so it began… a cultural tradition of generational teachings became a symbol of a responsible, meaningful pledge: a commitment to take action in honour of women and children everywhere, and a symbol of honouring Indigenous medicine and belonging that is here to stay.”
Learn more at the official Moose Hide Campaign website here.
