Mother of late daughter hopes to create positive legacy
- Morgan Esperance | October 16, 2016
The mother of a murdered Indigenous women is hoping to
create a positive legacy for her daughter.
The late Kelly Goforth was one of many women honoured and
remembered at the recent Sisters in Spirit vigils held across Canada earlier
this month, including in Regina and Saskatoon.
“It’s about providing a sacred ceremonial space, a safe place for the families and the community members to come together and share and heal and show solidarity,” says Jaqueline Anaquod, lead organizer for the event in Regina.
Related:
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- FSIN and families welcome launch of National Inquiry
Goforth’s mother, Maxine, and two of her sisters attended
the Regina vigil carrying a photo of her.
Maxine explains the close bond her late daughter had with
her five siblings.
“I have three boys,
three girls, Kelly was the baby girl, I have five left. Kelly was the
foundation of the family, the protector, the technical girl, whatever needed to
be done Kelly did it,” she says.
Numerous indigenous and non-indigenous peoples showed up for
the men’s and women’s pipe ceremony, the vigil, and the community supper.
Volunteers from the Saskatchewan Government and General Employee’s Union (SGEU),
and Women’s Commission gave their gracious support.
At the First Nations University of Canada, the atrium was
full of supporters for the vigil. Anaquod was very pleased with the turnout.
“If there was three families here, I’d be happy because that
means there’s three families that are going to start healing,” says Anaquod,
“It all begins with one person, so maybe tonight one person heard something and
that’s going to change their life, that can set them on the track to something
completely different.”
Goforth’s mother, Maxine, feels she received justice
personally because the trial for the man accused and now convicted of killing
her daughter is done and she can move forward. Her grandson, Kelly Goforth’s son,
was 11 months old when he lost his mom; and he will be 24 if the man
responsible receives parole in 20 years.
“He looked me right in the eye and said he was sorry; however,
I accepted that in my heart as justice but the sentence itself was not
justice,” says Maxine. “I chose to move forward in a positive way because I
refuse to stay victimized. I want to move forward in a positive way and have a
positive legacy for my baby girl.”
This event was organized for the treaty 4 territory and for the family members of the victims, whether they are missing or taken.