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Moosehide campaign opens conversation about family violence
Violence against women and children targeted by awareness campaign

April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, December 3, 2015

LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
If you see someone wearing a patch of moosehide on their clothing, take it as an invitation to ask them why.

NNSL photo/graphic

Kristen Tanche sports a patch of moosehide on her blouse. Tanche is bringing the moosehide campaign to the Deh Cho and hopes it will spread even further. - April Hudson/NNSL photo

The patches are spreading in Fort Simpson with the goal of reaching the rest of the Deh Cho and Northwest Territories. They are a symbol of solidarity against violence against women and children.

The Moose Hide Campaign was started by Paul Lacerte and his daughter Raven while they were out hunting moose near the Highway of Tears in B.C. The movement aims to inspire men to take a stand against violence.

Four years after the campaign started, it has reached Fort Simpson courtesy of resident Kristen Tanche.

Tanche said she was moved to bring the campaign to the village after attending an Indigenous innovations summit in Winnipeg, where Lacerte and Raven were giving a presentation.

"They told their whole story, and they told it so emotionally charged, it was touching. They really want to see an end to violence against women and children," Tanche said. "They had mentioned how the campaign started and they gave squares to everyone in the audience. I decided to save my square and bring it back to the community to show people here."

Tanche, who sits on Liidlii Kue First Nation council, found her opportunity during the First Nation's strategic planning meetings, which took place Nov. 24 to 26.

She asked Chief Gerald Antoine if he would wear the square she had saved.

When she told attendees at the strategic planning meeting about the campaign and the meaning behind it, community member Rosa Wright donated some moosehide.

"I went home, and me and my nephew cut up the hide into squares. The rest of my family put the pins on them so we could start distributing," she said. "It just kind of all fell into place. Everyone was receptive and wanted to start wearing the squares - we cut up 103 squares and I've actually run out."

Tanche has 100 more squares on order from the Moose Hide Campaign office.

"This really helped get the campaign out there faster and bring awareness that there is a lot of violence against women and children," Tanche said.

And although the campaign is geared toward men, women can also take part.

"A lot of women are now wearing the squares around town. It's a really good conversation starter," she said.

"The reactions I've had from people about the square are mostly, 'What do I have to do to get one?'"

Tanche wants to see the campaign spread into all Deh Cho communities. The goal of the Moose Hide Campaign is to get one million squares out within 10 years.

"I hope it sparks more conversations. I'd like to see it just go and go," Tanche said.

Levels of domestic violence in the NWT are documented to be much higher than the national average.

A report issued by Statistics Canada on Jan. 15 put the rates for police-reported violent crimes at 2,020 per 100,000 people - compared to the national average of 253 per 100,000.

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