Candlelight vigil for Elisa 'Lala' Tuckanow to be held at Regina city hall encampment
CBC
Letisha Bigknife wakes up every morning wishing that it all wasn't real — that she hadn't gotten the call early Wednesday telling her that her daughter had died.
Bigknife is making the drive on Monday from Yorkton to the encampment in front of city hall in Regina for a candlelight vigil held in honour of Elisa 'Lala' Tuckanow. She is grateful for the volunteers and friends there who treated her daughter with kindness.
"I thanked them for welcoming her there and accepting her there," Bigknife said.
Bigknife last saw her 27-year-old daughter just days before she died of a suspected overdose at the encampment. Tuckanow is the first person to die at the city hall camp, despite numerous overdoses occurring there prior to that dark, rainy Wednesday morning.
CBC reached out to the Saskatchewan Coroners Service. It said the investigation into the camp death is ongoing and that the results from the post-mortem examination will be available in approximately four to six months.
When Bigknife talks about Tuckanow, she can't help but say the words "my girl" over and over again. She jokes that Tuckanow will always be her baby because she was born on a leap year. Tuckanow loved listening to rap, '80s and gospel music and she loved to bead. Bigknife makes ribbon dresses and regalia, and the mother and daughter had dreams of starting a business together.
Tuckanow had six brothers and a sister that died in infancy. Bigknife said the young mother of four was always in touch with her, letting her know that she was OK.
Bigknife saw Tuckanow only days before she died. She bought her sweaters, food, water, socks and other things to help her.
"She gave it to