Napi’s Run recognizes Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman and Men

By Justin Sibbet - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on June 21, 2023.

Submitted photo Participants of Napi's Run mark their progress along the Trans-Canada Highway over the past weekend.

Running across Canada is no simple task, yet a group of dedicated runners are doing just that in honour of others who have passed on before them.

Napi’s Run for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman and Men and Mother Earth 2023 has been crossing the country for 70 days.

Johnny Bare Shin Bone says he had a dream in 2019 about the run and now it was just time to finally do it.

“I thought to myself, I’m just going to fulfill my dream and see what happens,” said Bare Shin Bone in a phone interview Tuesday.

The run began in St. John’s, N.L. and Labrador, and it is set to finish in Victoria, B.C. this summer.

Bare Shin Bone said the run is for those who no longer have a voice on Earth, even though he believes they still have a voice “on the other side.”

“I’d like to commemorate them. Quite a few of them are my sisters too, my relatives.”

He said an important message he hopes to get across is the necessity of education in Indigenous communities.

“Getting an education, that’s so important for us Natives. “Hopefully I get the message through, about getting an education with everyone.”

The message seems to be spreading, and Bare Shin Bone said the community support has been incredible over the past two months.

“They’re such a beautiful people from all across Canada.”

The community has been quick to offer food, shelter and emotional support ever since they left St. John’s. His niece, Ramona Big Head, agrees with him that the support has been even overwhelming at times.

“We all met at the world’s largest tipi in Medicine Hat and they were already there waiting for us,” said Big Head.

She said they have dedicated every step of the journey to those who have passed away and the sentiment has created significant emotion among those participating.

“As soon as we invite people to come and support us in honour of your loved one, they come out and they’ll walk and run as far as they can. That’s how meaningful this is. It’s not just a bunch of people running across this country, we’re actually running with a purpose.”

However, the run is not a fundraiser, but simply a message from the heart.

“It is just to create awareness and we don’t want to trigger the past traumatic memories,” said Big Head. “What we are doing is encouraging the healing.”

She added the run is for people who have passed away by any means, whether it be murder, overdose or something else.

“I lost my daughter to overdose, my granddaughter six months earlier to overdose, a year prior to that, my oldest son to overdose.”

She said, however, those who have left are not truly gone, for they are supporting this run through their memories.

“I call on them and I ask them to help us today in any way that they can from that side.”

The support from runners and the community has helped the group make up some incredible time, and has helped them average 85 to 100 kilometres a day. Tuesday was even better.

“We’re going to cover almost 200 kilometres today,” said Big Head.

As of Tuesday, Napi’s Run was closing in on Brooks, and participants hoped to reach Blackfoot Crossing by the end of the day.

For more information, or to see updates on the run, go to the Napi’s Run 2023 for MMIWM and Mother Earth Facebook page.

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