News Centre

On May 2, students from Centennial High School hosted Otahpiaaki Fashion Week’s Red Dress Project in honour of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Students had the opportunity to speak with Elder Jeannie Smith-Davis about the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada and participate in memory of women from the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta. Students sewed red flowers in honour of these women and as an act of reconciliation; these flowers are attached to the train of the dress which is the closing piece of Otahpiaaki Fashion Week each fall. As members of Treaty 7, students and staff are called upon to share these stories in conjunction with Otahpiaaki’s focus on iihpkim mootspi – “passing on the teachings that one has received, to communities in the hopes that Otahpiaaki will blossom in many Nations under the guidance of emerging Indigenous creatives, educators, and Elders”.

This is the second year Centennial High School students have participated in the project, and the dress with their work was featured at the National Music Centre this past year.

For more information on Otahpiaaki Fashion Week, please visit https://otahpiaakifashionweek.com/.