Smudge walk held to honour slain Saskatoon teenager, raise awareness of violence

Isaiah Brunton was 17 years old when he was killed.

In the evening of Feb. 15, Saskatoon police were called to a house on Avenue S North in Saskatoon for an injured person.

It was Brunton, suffering from a gunshot wound. He died in hospital several days later and police determined it was a homicide.

On Saturday, 40 people from the community marched through Saskatoon to honour his memory.

“It’s important to know that he’s not forgotten. That’s why we walk for him today,” said Sherry Alexander, Brunton’s aunt.

The smudge walk, which began with an Indigenous smudging ceremony — which involves the burning of herbs to purify or cleanse negativity from a person or space — was supposed to happen shortly afterwards but the COVID-19 pandemic forced its delay.

Many of the participants lined up to take part in the smudging and some spoke about what it meant to lose someone so young.

“A couple months ago I also had my cousin shot,” said Kiyari McNab, who is just a few years older than Brunton was.

“So, to me, this is for all youth within our community.”

After the smudging, two members of the Okihtcitawak Patrol Group (OPG), volunteers who walk through the neighbourhood looking for people in need, led the procession as they sang and played drums.

“We hope that we can raise awareness about… the violence that happens here in this neighbourhood,” said OPG team lead Delano Kennedy, one of the drummers.

He said it was rewarding to see so many people taking part so long after the event.

Saskatoon police have not announced any suspects or arrests in the homicide case, but Alexander said she wanted the march to spread the message that dangers in the area aren’t limited to people.

“Stay away from drugs and guns… because that really hurt, what happened to him,” she said.

“That was awful.”