Indigenous people hold round dance in Saskatoon to honour violence victim

SASKATOON – To the sound of pounding drums Indigenous dancers performed outside Saskatoon city hall to pay tribute to a homeless woman who survived a brutal attack in 2014, including being sexually assaulted and set on fire.

Marlene Bird died Monday in hospital of organ failure.

She lost both legs and much of her eyesight in the June 2014 attack.

Bird was a member of the Montreal Lake Cree Nation and is to be buried next to her grandmother in the northern community of Molanosa.

Kayla Ironstar Murray says the round dance was to remember Bird and raise awareness to end violence.

Murray says Indigenous people face violence every day.

“We brought our children so they can be aware of her and just know her story, honour her and respect her,” Murray said Tuesday.

Murray said similar round dances to honour Bird were held in Toronto and Prince Albert, Sask. (CKOM)