WEYBURN – Every classroom of Legacy Park Elementary School in Weyburn took a pledge to end violence in their lives, as part of the nation-wide Moose Hide campaign.
The goal of the campaign is to commit to ending violence towards marginalized groups. The school had two weeks of announcements and learning activities, and it culminated with a school-wide walk on May 12 when students and staff donned a square of moose hide and made the pledge.
The Moose Hide Campaign is an Indigenous-led grassroots movement of men, boys and all Canadians - standing up to and violence against women and children.
It was created as a way to engage men and boys in efforts to end violence against Indigenous women and girls. The campaign was founded on the side of the 'Highway of Tears' in response to the injustices and violence faced by too many women and children in Canada, particularly those who are Indigenous.
As men took up the challenge to wear the moose hide and participate in ceremonial fasting events, so too many women became involved.
As a result, both the campaign and the role of women in the campaign have evolved. While the campaign still focuses on engaging men and boys, it has grown to engage all Canadians in ending domestic and gender-based violence against women and children.
Women and girls are encouraged to wear the moose hide. All people who care about this issue are also encouraged to wear the moose hide pins in their day-to-day lives and be open to sharing about the campaign when asked about them. The moose hide is intended to be a conversation starter, and women wearing the hide often sparks powerful conversations about the change we are all working towards.
All moose hide squares come from traditional hunters who hunt moose for food and ceremonial purposes, or from animals who have died in road accidents. No animals are hunted specifically to supply hides for the Moose Hide Campaign.
