On June 9, 75-year-old Matilda Wilson, her daughter Brenda and a group of supporters began a walk along Highway 16, starting at the Red Dress Monument.
The walk aims to raise awareness about the death of Matilda’s daughter, Ramona Wilson, and to support the broader Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement.
Ramona went missing in 1994. Her remains were discovered a year later near the Smithers airport. Her case has remained unsolved for 31 years.
“It’s very important that we have this walk,” said Matilda. “There’s so many unsolved murders and there’s so many missing that haven’t been found yet. It’s not only women now, it’s men too. We have to let the public know about the awareness that we need, and the way to do this is to do this walk. We’re walking for my daughter, Ramona.”
Matilda and her supporters passed through Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Nadleh, Burns Lake, Wet’suwet’en First Nation and Houston before arriving in Smithers on June 13.
Once in Smithers, the Wilson family continued their efforts with the Ramona Lisa Wilson Walk, which has taken place annually since Ramona’s disappearance.
Brenda spoke to The Citizen about why her mother chose to walk along Highway 16.
“This is the place where not only Ramona went missing, but where other young people — men and women of all ages — have gone missing along the Highway of Tears,” she said. “Many of them have never come home, or they’ve been found murdered. The majority are Indigenous, and there are not a lot of voices for the Indigenous community when it comes to missing or murdered loved ones.
“That’s why we wanted to do this: to bring awareness not only for Ramona but for all Indigenous people. In our eyes, every person who’s missing or murdered is important. It doesn’t matter what race they are, but we want to stand up for Indigenous people who don’t always have a voice.”
Brenda said funds raised through both this walk and the event in Smithers will go toward efforts to solve Ramona’s case.
“We’re probably going to look at a reward to help find out what happened to Ramona,” she said. “The last time we had a reward, it was to find her. We were able to bring her home and put her to rest. But now we need answers. We need justice. We might look at putting up another billboard or offering a reward to find out who’s responsible so that we can have some kind of peace.”
Brenda also emphasized the need for more support in implementing the recommendations from the Highway of Tears Symposium, which includes 33 measures aimed at increasing safety along Highway 16. These focus on areas such as victim prevention, emergency readiness, victim family support, and community development.
Brenda had a message for young people across the North.
“I just want to say to everyone — it’s summertime, it’s grad, it’s celebration time — just think about safety,” she said. “Think about how you’re getting home. Don’t drink and drive. Especially to the young ones: always buddy up, make sure you have a safe way home, and have safety plans in place. Make sure your parents or friends know where you are and that you’re going to make it home safe.”
The walk is supported by Carrier Sekani Family Services, Tears for Hope Society, and The Credit Union.
Anyone interested in supporting Matilda’s walk can contact Brenda at 250-917-8785.
