THUNDER BAY – Sandra Johnson enjoyed music.
Twenty-six years after Sandra was killed, Sharon Johnson thought it was time to turn to music to honour her late sister’s memory.
The first annual memorial concert for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls was held under sunny skies Wednesday afternoon at the Waverley Park pavilion.
“I think music is a good way to honour the women, to honour them in a positive way,” Johnson said.
“(Sandra) liked her music and she was learning to play drums for my brother’s band when she was murdered. Music has always been in my family. I know of other concerts that are happening and people who are doing this for the same cause. I just always thought it was a cool idea.”
The concert began with a pair of women hand drummers and included local musicians, as well as performers who travelled from Sioux Lookout and Nipigon.
The 18-year-old Sandra was found dead on the ice-covered Neebing-McIntyre Floodway on the morning of Feb. 13, 1992. Her murder remains unsolved.
Sharon, the volunteer organizer of the concert, founded a memorial walk held every Valentine’s Day for the past decade. She also organizes the annual Full Moon Memory Walk held in the fall, which will take place for the 14th year on Sept. 24.
Though this year's event was organized on a last-minute whim, Johnson would like to see it become an annual tradition.
“It’s important to do these awareness-raising events because Indigenous women are continuing to go missing. The problem is not going away,” Johnson said.
