‘Silent Jingle’ created to honour the names of MMIW+2S across Canada, U.S.

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on April 17, 2025.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

In honour of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Two-Spirit individuals across Canada and the U.S., a recent graduate is seeking to create a tribute to remember the names of those lost.

“Growing up connected to my culture, I’ve always been inspired by the strength of our people,” said Lox MacMillan-Metatawabin, a member of White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan and a business graduate.

She continued that with the aid of a team, she has created a heartfelt art project designed to “honour and remember those we’ve lost, spark dialogue and create space for healing,” known as the Silent Jingle.

The project, a striking red, velvet-like cape covered with traditional red jingle cones bears the name of a missing or murdered Indigenous woman or two-spirit individual on each cone. It is intended to grow as more names are added, said MacMillan-Metatawabin, ensuring these names and stories are not forgotten.

“The cape’s weight and sound symbolize the gravity of these lost lives and the need for action,” said MacMillan-Metatawabin. “We have already received more than 60 names from across Canada and the U.S., but we know there are many more out there and the Silent Jingle is an opportunity to share their voices.”

MacMillan-Metatawabin and her team ask that anyone who has the name of a MMIWG2s+ that would like it to be included in the project to submit the name, community and family name to TheSilentJingle@gmail.com, so it can be engraved on a cone and added to the piece.

Deadline for submissions is April 22. While the project initially started on Prince Edward Island, MacMillan-Metatawabin says the impact of MMIWG2s+ is felt nationwide, and she wants the living art piece to reflect this, and they do not want to miss a single name.

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