Melody Battles attended the Calgary Equinox Vigil in hopes of raising awareness about the importance of putting your phone down behind the wheel. This is because Battles herself was nearly killed three years ago in an accident caused by texting and driving.
The vigil plays a vital role in bringing Calgarians together to celebrate the beauty of life and death.
Cree First Nation singers welcome guests with a beautiful indigenous song at the Calgary Equinox Vigil. Photo by Lexi Wright
“I think the celebration of life is just really special. Knowing that, ‘Hey I’m here, I’m alive and it’s pretty awesome to be alive. I feel like a super hero,” says Battles.
Sharon Stevens, a native Calgarian and award-winning video artist, organized the 5th annual Equinox Vigil on Sept. 17 and says the event continues to grow each year.
“I call our event a Calgary-style day of the dead. It’s [the] equinox, the summer is ending, autumn is coming, and it just seems like a wonderful time. The biggest gift of the Equinox Vigil is the social aspect.”
The editor responsible for this article is Karina Yaceyko and can be contacted at kyaceyko@cjournal.ca