The sound of drumming and singing accompanied walkers today (February 14) as they wound their way through the Downtown Eastside as part of the 21st annual march in memory of women that have disappeared or been killed in the area.

Among the participants in the march this year was Molly Dixon, whose daughter Angeline Pete has been missing since May 2011.

Dixon said while she has been involved in marches in previous years, this year’s memorial hit particularly close to home. She has posted signs around the city with her daughter’s photo, and has been canvassing community members for clues on Pete’s whereabouts.

“I’ve supported the families and I’ve known the ladies in the past—I feel for their loss,” she told the Straight. “Now that my daughter’s missing it’s really a struggle.”

Today’s march comes as the B.C. missing women inquiry is expected to hear from witnesses including retired RCMP Insp. Don Adam, the head of a joint VPD-RCMP task force.

The inquiry, which did not sit today due to the memorial event, began hearings in October 2011 to examine the police investigations of serial killer Robert Pickton. Pickton was convicted in the second-degree murder of six women. Police found the DNA of 33 women on his Port Coquitlam farm.

Among those women was Sarah de Vries, who disappeared in 1998. Her daughter of the same name held a photo of de Vries as she took part in the Vancouver memorial march today. She described the event as a positive way to remember her mother and others who lost their lives.

“It’s really positive how something so horrible can create something so immensely big as this,” she said.

“I think she’d be really happy with how many people are here, and all the support that they have.”

Lorelei Wiliams also took part in the memorial event, surrounded by a group of family and friends, all wearing t-shirts featuring a photo of both her aunt and her cousin.

Her aunt, Belinda Williams, went missing in 1977, and the DNA of her cousin Tanya Holyk was found on Pickton’s farm.

Williams has been observing the Pickton inquiry, and described the experience as “like a funeral”. After speaking at a memorial ceremony for family members of missing and murdered women at the Carnegie Centre, Williams called today’s events “heartwarming”.

“It touches my heart,” she said. “I think that’s what really made me cry, coming out of the Carnegie, and I saw all the people standing there.”

Thousands of people joined a circle at Main and Hastings Streets as the event began at 1 p.m. Marchers then filled the road as they marched down Water Street and along East Hastings.

The two-hour march concluded outside the Vancouver police building at 312 Main Street, where organizer Carol Martin led a moment of silence in honour of the missing and slain women.

“Change needs to start taking place,” she said. “It’s 21 years we’ve been pushing the pavement down here, to show the injustice, the lives we’ve lost.”

Organizers held a news conference prior to the march, where they reiterated their criticism of what they call a “sham” missing women inquiry. They also commented on the issue of violence against women in the Downtown Eastside.

“One person of the missing and murdered women is one too many, and the numbers are increasing daily,” said Delannah Gail Bowen.

“What we need is action behind the requests that we have made in regard to the missing and murdered women. This isn’t isolated, and we need all levels of government to stand up and do what’s right.”