POLICE VEHICLE HONOURS MISSING/MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN

ARTIST ZACHARY GUYMER-JACOBS DESIGNED IT FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN, GIRLS AND 2-SPIRIT PEOPLE

A new Rama police vehicle was unveiled to represent missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people May 5.

And it was designed by Rama First Nations artist Zachary Guymer-Jacobs.

Police Sgt. Steven Jacobs said the service received funding and purchased a vehicle for community policing events and administration uses.

They wanted to add graphics to commemorate the importance of the May 5 day, but wanted something that could be on display year-round.

Guymer-Jacobs — a Cambrian College grad beginning his career in the field — learned about the idea and within four days, had created a two-sided design, with a light side and dark side.

"The light side talks about how the women in the Ojibwe culture are life-giving, that's why there are flowers coming out of her hand," Guymer-Jacobs said. "The sun connects to the land and to her, which further symbolizes life-giving."

She's depicted closer to the water, because women are water protectors in the culture.

In the dark side, the woman's hair isn't flowing and the flowers have died, the 26year-old said.

"It's showing the disconnection, because she can no longer do that. Unfortunately, a lot of them have been murdered or have gone missing. It's a tough subject. The raven symbolizes death. I wanted to include the raven to show that."

The woman also has a red hand on her face and blindfold, to represent silence and kidnapping, Guymer-Jacobs said.

"I wanted to raise awareness of this

movement," he said. "It's important because it's still happening today. I tell people about it, and they look at me with a confused face. It's a big issue, and I hope this helps more people know about it."

Guymer-Jacobs enjoys being an artist because he can express himself in ways words can't.

Follow him on Instagram @sketch.squatch.