Marlene Bird's life honoured across Canada through round dances

Flash mob round dances are being held in three cities across Canada Tuesday night to honour Marlene Bird, whose life represents a beacon for ending violence against Indigenous people, says one of the organizers.

Bird was homeless when she was assaulted and set on fire in Prince Albert, Sask., mall parking lot in 2014. She was partially blinded, and both her legs had to be amputated as a result of her injuries.

When the case went to court, the residential school survivor pushed to have a publication ban on her name dropped, so people would know what happened.

Bird died Monday in hospital in Prince Albert. She was 50.

• Marlene Bird, dead at 50, survived vicious assault that led to loss of her legs
• Residential school survivor who was brutally attacked has died

"Her case [dives] into a lot of stigma surrounding Indigenous people and violence against them," said Kayla Ironstar-Murray, one of the organizers of the round dances, who is from Carry the Kettle First Nation in Saskatchewan.

"We wanted to get across...violence just needs to end with Indigenous people. Marlene's case brought out so much awareness and and so much division within our society.

Fellow organizer Erica Violet Lee, who lives in Toronto but is originally from Saskatoon, said it's an opportunity for people to come together regardless of feeling angry or sad.

"There is always a reminder that people don't think [Indigenous women are] worth much," said Violet Lee, whose family is from Saskatchewan's Thunderchild First Nation.

The three flash mob round dances are scheduled to happen simultaneously in Toronto, Saskatoon and Prince Albert.

Sask. round dance held in Marlene Bird's honour

7 years ago

Duration 0:36

Marlene Bird's life was honoured across Canada through round dances

People will gather in front of city hall in Saskatoon and at the Gateway Mall in Prince Albert at 6 p.m. CST. In Toronto, the round dance will happen at 7 p.m. ET in front of the city's Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada office near Yonge and St. Clair.

​All three organizers of the flash mob round dances want as many people as possible to show support and honour Marlene Bird's life by attending.

A memorial service held Monday night for Bird in Prince Albert was attended by more than 100 people, including many members of her family and close friends.

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