By Jenna Makes Good
In the heart of Spirit Lake Nation, North Dakota, the tribal community is dealing with yet another heart-breaking disappearance. Jemini Posey, a 21-year-old Indigenous woman and mother vanished without a trace on January 7, 2023. As days turned into weeks, the haunting echoes of another tragic loss clouded over the reservation, reigniting the flaming pain of a recent memory in the past.
Jemini Posey’s story is one that is deeply felt within Spirit Lake, where the scars of old tragedies linger, still. Her sudden disappearance is reminiscent of a horrifying familiar narrative—one of loss, grief, and unanswered questions that have become all too common for Indigenous women across the nation.
On that night of January 7th, Jemini informed her boyfriend that she would be going out with a friend, yet she didn’t specify who. Jemini never came home. There was a snowstorm shortly after which complicated initial search efforts. Her family, friends, and the tribe quickly began to worry that she would not get the search and media coverage that she deserves.
The response from local authorities and media outlets was painfully slow, which further reflects the pattern of indifference towards missing Indigenous peoples. It took over a week for any significant news coverage to emerge, leaving the community to deal with the unbearable uncertainty of Jemini’s fate.
For the community of Spirit Lake, Jemini Posey’s disappearance is a reminder of the unresolved wounds from the past. In 2017, tragedy struck when another tribal member, a 22-year-old pregnant woman, Savanna Greywind, went missing. She was discovered nine days later in the nearby Red River. Her lifeless corpse bore the evil scars of murder and violence. Her unborn child was cut and stolen from her in a prejudice act of homicide.
The unfortunate death of Savanna Greywind led to the passing of Savanna’s Act—an initiative aimed at reforming law enforcement and justice protocols to bridge the jurisdictional gaps that are faced when tribal citizens go missing. And despite the legislation that was passed, the disappearance of Jemini Posey serves as a painful reminder of the systemic challenges that continue to plague Indigenous communities.
Since the storm has passed, the people of Spirit Lake have searched persistently, hoping to bring Jemini home to her family. As people dress in their warmest winter gear to brave the North Dakota snow, search parties gather and cover as much ground, on foot, before it gets dark. As the search continues, the community rallies in solidarity.
The Spirit Lake Employment & Training Program has volunteered their building as a location for search parties to stop by and warm up. They also serve as a place for the community to come together as one, and be there for the family, at this time. People cook every day here and at the local recreational center to keep volunteers fed. They are also holding donations of winter clothing for the search parties, as well as baby items for Jemini’s daughter.
Jade LaVonne, Jemini’s sister, spoke about how difficult it is to search every day, hoping that she will bring her sister home. “We have walked miles. We walked ditches, highways, shelter belts, and through the trees. And we’re still looking. It’s amazing to see how much we’ve walked but also how much we have left.” The search teams will have to retrace all their steps once the snow has melted. Community members are even bringing their personal snow mobiles to further search through the forest and ditches, where some areas are blanketed with waist-high snowbanks. The amount of community effort put forward has been heartwarming and very much needed. LaVonne expressed how she is patiently waiting for the snow to melt, but until then, the family is expecting a drone search to fly over the snowy areas that cannot be reached by foot. She opens about this experience, “I know from the outside it may seem like there’s not much, but when you’re there looking, you realize how much is being done. It’s hard, I have days we get a feeling or people hear to check an area and I think ‘ok today my sister’s coming home’ and then nothing. It’s the sickest feeling. Heartbreaking. But trying to stay positive and not lose faith for my family. I will keep going [un]til she is home.”
The love and prayers of Jemini’s tiwahe (family) and tiospaye (community) in Spirit Lake serve as a heartfelt reminder that her story, and the stories of countless other missing and murdered Indigenous people, will not be forgotten. The family of Jemini Posey is asking for prayers of strength and faith to continue searching.
