CANADA Canada - Calgary, Banff National Park, NativeFem 24-25, 5UFAB, Apr'79

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Artistic reconstructions.

Unidentified Native Female

Date Found: April 8, 1979
Location Found: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Postmortem Interval: 1 to 2 years
State of Remains: Unknown
Cause of Death: Homicide

Physical Description
Age: 24-25 (est.)
Sex: Female
Race: Native American
Height: 5'2" to 5'3"
Weight: Unknown
Hair: Brown or black, thick and long.
Eyes: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks / Features: Prominent, high cheekbones.

Identifying Characteristics
Dental records unknown. However, it was noted that the teeth in the upper jaw were "perfect." (Lower jaw was not recovered.) Fingerprints unknown. Unknown if a DNA sample was ever submitted or on file for this decedent.

Clothing & Personal Items
No clothing found with the remains. Jewelry unknown. Unknown if this decedent had any other additional items.

Circumstances of Discovery
Hikers found the victim's remains in Banff National Park, about 330 meters off the Trans-Canada Highway.

Investigating Agency(s)
Chief Medical Examiner's Office - Edmonton
Telephone: 780-427-4987 (or toll-free within Alberta at 310-0000)
No case number assigned to this decedent.

Source(s):
Doe Network
National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains

 

[Bit of hope]

Sadly there is not much info about this missing woman, not even how old she was when she went missing.

https://www.cbc.ca/missingandmurdered/mmiw/profiles/belinda-williams

Belinda Williams disappeared three years before her niece, Lorelei Williams, was born but the resemblance between the two is striking. Family saw the young woman for the last time in British Columbia in 1977, and they are still wondering what happened to their loved one.

Lorelei knows little about Belinda, but she spends time raising awareness about her aunt, asking the public to come forward with information that might help locate her, or at least tell the family what happened.

When she searches for Belinda’s name online, nothing comes up on B.C.’s website dedicated to missing persons, which dates back only to 2002, and she can’t find information about her aunt on police websites.

A map of the trans Canada highway. Do we know on what site of the road this Jane Doe was found?

 

[Bit of hope]

I found a bit more about Belinda Williams. Belinda Williams

She was born in 1952, so when this person was found (1979) minus 1 or 2 years PMI she would have been aproxx. 25-26 yrs old. Height 5'2 UID 5'2 - 5'3

Williams' father and sister claim to have last seen her in Vancouver, yet the Stl'Atl'imx Tribal Police have determined she was last seen in Mission.

Canada's Missing | Case details

Canada's missing site states she went missing in 1976 (seems an estimate, bases on other info) and was 24 when missing.

I think this UID was more likely from Canada's first nation and not native American as they state in the Doe Network file.

Vancouver/Mission to Manff National Park is approx. an 8 hours drive.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

A map of the trans Canada highway. Do we know on what site of the road this Jane Doe was found?

Unfortunately, no, we don't have that information and I'm frankly not sure if the RCMP detachment has any of that information recorded somewhere or knows where it is anymore. The information for this Jane Doe is extremely limited; for example, they don't even know if any DNA or dentals/prints are on file for her. It isn't that the samples were never collected, they just don't know if they were collected or not. Hope it's not a case of racism, but I also wouldn't be terribly surprised if that's why.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

I think this UID was more likely from Canada's first nation and not native American as they state in the Doe Network file.

Yeah, "Native American" seems to be a catch-all term used for any First Nations or Indigenous person in North or South America. I believe that Canada now favors the term "Aboriginal" to describe Indigenous Canadians.

 

[nao]

If there is no DNA sample how can they id her?

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

If there is no DNA sample how can they id her?

I'd say you couldn't... I mean if they have absolutely no evidence on file (strand of hair, clothing, etc.) and don't know where her remains (which were listed in "unknown" condition when found) are buried / stored... then this is impossible to really solve.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

MMIW Toolkit for Families and Communities | NIWRC

 

[annpats]

I think this UID was more likely from Canada's first nation and not native American as they state.

I'm from the UK, so don't really know much about these things.

Is there a difference in ethnicity or origin between these two groups?

They have a similar look, no? Obviously that are different areas and speak different languages, but aren't they all indigenous indians of the North American continent?

How do Canada's First Nations people differ to the USA's Native Americans?

Hope someone can explain. Thank you.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

How do Canada's First Nations people differ to the USA's Native Americans?

It's mostly political and based on what's considered PC at the time. That is a reflection of our troubled colonial past here. These blanket terms, i.e. "First Nations," "Native American" are tantamount to erasure in a way, because there were (and are) several tribes spread out over what we now call North America, which all had their own unique languages and customs, attributes and even lifestyles... But just like the racial designation "white," there's the longing by our governments to lump a large group of people together based on only one attribute, skin color. So these interesting terms get coined to describe those with ancestry native to the Americas. Another one is "Amerindian" (which just sounds so awkward) and "Aboriginal," which it looks like is the one Canada prefers to use now.

 

[Bit of hope]

It's mostly political and based on what's considered PC at the time. That is a reflection of our troubled colonial past here. These blanket terms, i.e. "First Nations," "Native American" are tantamount to erasure in a way, because there were (and are) several tribes spread out over what we now call North America, which all had their own unique languages and customs, attributes and even lifestyles... But just like the racial designation "white," there's the longing by our governments to lump a large group of people together based on only one attribute, skin color. So these interesting terms get coined to describe those with ancestry native to the Americas. Another one is "Amerindian" (which just sounds so awkward) and "Aboriginal," which it looks like is the one Canada prefers to use now.

I agree on this. Thank you for your answer. At first I thought the use of the word Aboriginals was weird, because I associated it with the native inhabitants of Australia. But basically the meaning of the word is correct. Personally I prefer indigenous.

It feels a bit like a "lost" case in the sense of finding a match. I think it could be Belinda Williams, but how can they ever compare the two (or others) without significant identifiers. Sad and a reflection of the serious lack of information and registration of missing and identifying remains of Canadian aboriginals, especially the older cases.

As far as you know; Is there a law in Canada that says that a DNA sample has to be taken of every found unidentified person, before they are buried, like in the Netherlands since 2010? What is the policy in Canada about unidentified remains. Do they get a separate grave, more people in one grave, cremation? (F.i. California state cremated remains or buried them in mass graves in the 70's)

 

[nao]

My status card identifies me as ...indian...the first 3 numbers identify which band I am connected to. North America is divided ..Canada and USA (america) . Since identity of remains is not known...North American Indian would be the wording to use. Personally I identify as First Nation or Native but different areas may choose different words. The high cheek bones and perfect teeth can lead in a direction because different bands do have some physical differences but everything is more mixed now because people travel more. Moo

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

My status card identifies me as ...indian

Very interesting how the government chooses to make such classifications. I always wonder what someone who's from India or had parents/other ancestors from the actual country of India would think about our use of the term "Indian." A terribly outdated term that I'm surprised is even used anymore, especially by the government. Hmm.

different bands do have some physical differences

I've noticed that, looking at old b&w photographs of various tribesmen and women. Eastern tribes seemed to be lighter-complected and the explorer John Smith noted that the Algonquins(?) he met were extremely tall.

 

[Bit of hope]

Very interesting how the government chooses to make such classifications. I always wonder what someone who's from India or had parents/other ancestors from the actual country of India would think about our use of the term "Indian." A terribly outdated term that I'm surprised is even used anymore, especially by the government. Hmm.

I've noticed that, looking at old b&w photographs of various tribesmen and women. Eastern tribes seemed to be lighter-complected and the explorer John Smith noted that the Algonquins(?) he met were extremely tall.

Algonquin (people)

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An Algonquin Pair
The Algonquin (or Algonkin ) are an indigenous people of North America , belonging to the Algonkian language group .

Culturally and linguistically, they are related to the Odawa and the Ojibwe , with whom they together form the Anicinàpe group. The Algonquins call themselves either Omàmiwinini (plural: Omàmiwininiwak ) or simply Anicinàpe .

The term "Algonquin" is derived from the Maliseet word elakómkwik which means "We are family/allies". The tribe also gave its name to the heterogeneous large group of Algonquin speakers, which are spread from Virginia to the Rocky Mountains and north of Hudson Bay. However, most Algonquins today live in the Canadian province of Quebec . The nine Algonquin tribes in the Quebec area and one in Ontario make up a population of approximately 11,000.

 

[Bit of hope]

The Banff National Park is so very beautiful (at least on pictures) Silencing me by the beauty of nature. I really hope one day we will know who you are, or at least have a hunch. Rest in eternal peace.

 

[Bit of hope]

I think it's kind of strange this Jane Doe is not on the national database of Canada for missing and unidentified remains. Or are there still other databases?

Canada's Missing | Search Canada's Missing

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

I think it's kind of strange this Jane Doe is not on the national database of Canada for missing and unidentified remains. Or are there still other databases?

Canada's Missing | Search Canada's Missing

I do not know. Probably, they are selective in only including "hot" or recent cases. This is a '70s cold case involving an Indigenous woman. So I'm not terribly surprised if she isn't in their database. The neo-lib gov't under Trudeau willfully refuses to acknowledge (or they're just beginning to acknowledge) the epidemic (in sheer numbers) of missing Indigenous women. This woman is one of hundreds, if not thousands, out there - more or less forgotten by the Canadian gov't. It's a scathing indictment of our North American colonial mindset and troubled legacy surrounding the genocide and marginalization of native peoples.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

The Doe Network: Case File 2676DFAB
Mildred Batoche is the only match I can think of that hasn't been suggested - Canada's official MP site lists her as indigenous but I can't find record of that anywhere else.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Mildred Batoche
AKA: Millie Wanchisco

Missing Since: May 26, 1967
Location Last Seen: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Age: 23 years old
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
Weight: 135 lbs. (61 kg)
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Marks, Scars: Scar on left knee; tattoo on left shoulder - "H."
Clothing: Occasionally wears black rimmed glasses.

Circumstances of Disappearance: Mildred Batoche was last seen at the York Hotel in Edmonton.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

RCMP Bonnyville Detachment
780-826-3358

Agency Case Number: 1967-02

 

[Susikatze]

The Doe Network: Case File 2676DFAB
Mildred Batoche is the only match I can think of that hasn't been suggested - Canada's official MP site lists her as indigenous but I can't find record of that anywhere else.

Wanchisco and Batoche are First Nations surnames, as far as I know. French transliteration of indigenous names.