In Keetsahnak / Our Murdered and Missing Indigenous Sisters, the tension between personal, political, and public action is brought home starkly as the contributors look at the roots of violence and how it diminishes life for all. Together, they create a model for anti-violence work from an Indigenous perspective. They acknowledge the destruction wrought by colonial violence, and also look at controversial topics such as lateral violence, challenges in working with “tradition,” and problematic notions involved in “helping.” Through stories of resilience, resistance, and activism, the editors give voice to powerful personal testimony and allow for the creation of knowledge. It’s in all of our best interests to take on gender violence as a core resurgence project, a core decolonization project, a core of Indigenous nation building, and as the backbone of any Indigenous mobilization. —Leanne Betasamosake Simpson Contributors: Kim Anderson, Stella August, Tracy Bear, Christi Belcourt, Robyn Bourgeois, Rita Bouvier, Maria Campbell, Maya Ode’amik Chacaby, Downtown Eastside Power of Women Group, Susan Gingell, Michelle Good, Laura Harjo, Sarah Hunt, Robert Alexander Innes, Beverly Jacobs, Tanya Kappo, Tara Kappo, Lyla Kinoshameg, Helen Knott, Sandra Lamouche, Jo-Anne Lawless, Debra Leo, Kelsey T. Leonard, Ann-Marie Livingston, Brenda Macdougall, Sylvia Maracle, Jenell Navarro, Darlene R. Okemaysim-Sicotte, Pahan Pte San Win, Ramona Reece, Kimberly Robertson, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Beatrice Starr, Madeleine Kétéskwew Dion Stout, Waaseyaa’sin Christine Sy, Alex Wilson

Table of Contents:
I | All Our Relations 1 Voices from the Downtown Eastside DEBRA LEO, BEATRICE STARR & STELLA AUGUST DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE POWER OF WOMEN GROUP 2 Honouring Women BEVERLY JACOBS 3 Sacred Sisters and Sacred Circles A Story of One Nehiyawak Family and the Power of Spirit SANDRA LAMOUCHE 4 Honouring Elsie Was She Just a Dream? ANN-MARIE LIVINGSTON & SARAH HUNT II | The Violence of History 5 Generations of Genocide The Historical and Sociological Context of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls ROBYN BOURGEOIS 6 A Tradition of Violence Dehumanization, Stereotyping, and Indigenous Women MICHELLE GOOD 7 The (Un)Making of Property Gender Violence and the Legal Status of Long Island Algonquian Women KELSEY T. LEONARD 8 (The Missing Chapter) On Being Missing From Indian Problem to Indian Problematic MAYA ODE’AMIK CHACABY III | Challenges 9 Violence and Extraction Stories from the Oil Fields HELEN KNOT T 10 Skirting the Issues Indigenous Myths, Misses, and Misogyny ALEX WILSON 11 The Moose in the Room Indigenous Men and Violence against Women ROBERT ALEXANDER INNES & KIM ANDERSON 12 Considering Wenonah, Considering Us WAASEYAA’SIN CHRISTINE SY 13 Centring Resurgence Taking on Colonial Gender Violence in Indigenous Nation Building LEANNE BETASAMOSAKE SIMPSON IV | Action, Always 14 Iskwewuk E-wischiwitochik Saskatchewan Community Activism to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls DARLENE R. OKEMAYSIM-SICOT TE, SUSAN GINGELL & RITA BOUVIER 15 Woman Sacred PAHAN PTE SAN WIN 16 Leading with Our Hearts Anti-Violence Action and Beadwork Circles as Colonial Resistance LAURA HARJO, JENELL NAVARRO & KIMBERLY ROBERTSON Epilogue Sitting in with Sisters KIM ANDERSON, TRACY BEAR, CHRISTI BELCOURT, MARIA CAMPBELL, MAYA ODE’AMIK CHACABY, TANYA KAPPO, TARA KAPPO, LYLA KINOSHAMEG, JO-ANNE LAWLESS, BRENDA MACDOUGALL, SYLVIA MARACLE, RAMONA REECE, MADELEINE KÉTÉSKWEW DION STOUT