WIIKWEMKOONG—The fame of the Wiikwemkoong Cultural Festival (aka Wiikwemkoong Powwow) attracts visitors from across Turtle Island. One such individual is Vanessa Brousseau, an Inuk advocate, artist and speaker whose sister Pamela Holopainen went missing in 2003. Like far too many such stories of Indigenous families, her sister’s case remains unsolved to this day.
Since her sister’s disappearance in Timmins, Ms. Brousseau has dedicated her life to raising awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP), human trafficking and the systemic injustices facing Indigenous communities.
“For years now, I’ve travelled to where I could educate and advocate—in schools, at community events and online as Resilient Inuk,” she said. To that end, the Inuk arnaq purchased a motorhome a few months ago and set out from her home in North Bay to bring more awareness of the plight of Indigenous women to the world.
“I do a lot of social media, so I bought this motorhome and I decorated it myself,” she said. “I just came back from Prince Rupert, all the way from British Columbia.”
Along the way, Ms. Brousseau has been holding workshops, meeting with communities to spread awareness and understanding.
“Before I headed home, I had to stop at the powwow here for the Wiiky Powwow,” she said. “So, we went to the powwow and now we’re heading home to North Bay, then we’re going to head east to the East Coast and then repeat that every year—back and forth—just to create awareness.”
“This is a long-term commitment,” she said. “I’m prepared to dedicate years of my life, going province to province, creating awareness and making space for conversations around Indigenous justice, culture and healing.”
Her RV is branded with “Resilient Inuk” and “Creating Awareness One Kilometre at a Time” on its sides. “It will allow me to reach remote communities, reduce costs for schools and live modestly on the road while continuing my advocacy work full-time.”
Ms. Brousseau also has a memoir, ‘Becoming Resilient Inuk,’ a deeply personal memoir in which she opens her heart and shares the truth of her lived experiences—”growing up in a world shaped by colonial harm, navigating intergenerational trauma and finding strength through culture, healing and purpose.”
Her book is more than a simple story—it’s a testimony. “It honours her sister Pamela Holopainen and the many Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S) whose voices have been silenced. Through vulnerability and courage, Vanessa invites readers on a journey of truth, resilience and reclaiming identity,” according to the citation on Amazon.
Ms. Brousseau said she was amazed at the number of people attending the powwow and uplifted by the spirit that infuses that event.
Her website,
resilientinukcreations.ca contains more information and details on how those wishing to can assist with her mission.
“Together, we can make a difference—one story, one workshop and one kilometre at a time.”
