The Highway of Tears refers to a stretch of isolated highway in north-western British Columbia. This section of highway is isolated, lonely and unfortunately the final resting place for untold numbers of missing and murdered indigenous girls and women.
Jessica McDiarmid takes us on an in depth journey down the Highway of Tears as the story unfolds around the grief that has been caused by this hunk of asphalt.
This is a story that is as much about Canada’s treatment of their First Nation citizens, as it is a tragic and gruesome story of loss and mystery. The Highway of Tears is more than a murder site, it is a snapshot of racism and indifference towards certain members of society.
The First Nation people of Canada were living peacefully until the first European settlers arrived, pushing them into increasingly smaller tracts of lands and reservations. Later generations had their children removed from them and placed into residential schools. The children who were placed in these schools were often physically and sexually abused which lead to many turning to alcohol, drugs and high risk behaviours to dull the memories of their experiences. It is this behavioural context that leads to the tragedy of this story.
Many of the communities that dot the roadside of Highway 61 are small and isolated. Not many of the inhabitants can afford to own vehicles and the public transport system is extremely limited. Therefore, many people of all ages regularly hitch-hike their way from A to B. Many of the victims of the Highway of Tears were doing just this when they went missing or were murdered. But this isn’t the worst of the story. Because a lot of the victims were indigenous and female, there seemed to be a feeling of indifference from the local police. Families were told to wait and file missing person reports. The time lost meant that any evidence was lost or interfered with. In contrast, white victims had the benefit of immediate police mobilisation, search parties and rewards for information and tips.
These conditions lead to many of the family members to organise marches and symposiums addressing the inherent racism in the Mounties (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and in society at large.
I found this book fascinating on many levels. Firstly, Canada is a country that I know very little about (apart from ice hockey and maple leaves). I came to appreciate just how vast and isolated parts of the country are. I also learned the extent that colonialization has impacted on the First Nation people and just how poorly they are treated by their own fellow citizens and the agencies that should be protecting them. But I was also inspired by the strength that many families possessed that helped them through their tragedy and the efforts that went into using their grief to enact change in society as an act of remembrance for the victims. I would definitely recommend this book.
Photo Source: https://www.pxfuel.com/en/search?q=national+parks+of+canada&page=2