Northern women sewing for North American moccasin project

Women from across the North are stitching up a storm to prepare for a massive art project.

They are part of a group that's making more than 600 pairs of moccasin tops in memory of Canada's missing and murdered indigenous women.

The beaded works will be displayed as part of a travelling art installation project called Walking with our Sisters. Each pair of moccasins symbolizes the unfinished life of a missing or murdered woman.

The moccasin-making has touched some participants in an unexpected way.

In Yellowknife, Kiera-Dawn Kolson has been teaching her younger cousin Amber traditional women warriors' songs. She's also teaching her how to bead as part of the art project.

"In the North, we have missing women, as recent as last year. Even something as simple as this is giving people a perspective that life-givers are to be honored," she said.

Métis artist Christi Belcourt started the project. She said so far, more than 200 pairs have come in.

"I'm always emotionally moved when a new pair comes in because I realize that one pair represents a women or a girl," said Belcourt.

"People are really putting their love in the work. You can feel it when you hold it in your hand."

Ottawa-born Heather Ann Burch just sent her tops in. She recently moved to Fort Smith, N.W.T.

"You'd read stories but it wasn't relevant to my life. By taking the time to really think about this — for me, it made it personal. I can't wait to see all the pairs in that room. It’s absolutely a stunning effort."

The moccasin tops will be shown in a winding path on gallery floors. The first exhibition of the moccasin tops will open in Haida Gwaii in B.C. on Aug. 20.