Timmins Witches Walk raises awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

This is the second time Mattagami First Nation Chief Jennifer Constant hosted a Witches Walk. The route began at the Timmins Native Friendship Centre and wound around a few blocks in the south end of the city.

"If anybody does any kind of history on witches and being persecuted and the violence that they faced for whatever the reasons were back in the day, you know, women have throughout history gone through difficult times and we're trying to just capture an opportunity where we can do something good while making it a fun event," said Constant.

Mattagami First Nation Chief Jennifer Constant hosted the Timmins Witches Walk, which started at the Timmins Native Friendship Centre on Wednesday. Participants paraded in witchy attire and raised funds for the Timmins and Area Women in Crisis Centre. (Lydia Chubak/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Constant and her coven organized the event this month to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit individuals.

"Well, as an Indigenous woman, knowing that there have been people even from the Timmins area that have families have been impacted by this, you know, just doing what I can to help in any capacity that I can," said Constant.

Anyone is welcome to attend the free walk and is asked to bring a non-perishable item for the food bank. For those who registered online, their money supported the Timmins and Area Women in Crisis.

The executive director of that organization said the government funding it receives does not pay for everything.

"Things like gift cards ... we've brought women back from British Columbia with donated dollars because the funds that we have are only provincial," said Julie DeMarchi.

One participant told CTV News she supports the Timmins and Area Women in Crisis whenever she can.

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"There's a lot of violence towards women, especially in Ontario, and I treat that sort of thing very seriously because as you see a lot of it on TV and a lot of it is not great," said Kalisto McCann.

This year’s function raised nearly $2,000 with almost half coming from corporate sponsors.

Organizers told CTV News they are happy with this year’s results and are planning to hold an even larger event next year.