Dresses in Bend honor Indigenous, Ukrainian lives
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Dozens of red and white dresses moved quietly in the winter breeze at Farewell Bend Park on Saturday, part of Kolovita’s public art installation titled “REDdress + WHITEdress: Threads of Silenced Nations.”
The exhibit marked UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day and came just ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Suspended red dresses honored Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people, while white dresses represented Ukrainian families displaced and silenced by war.
At noon, attendees took part in a four-minute moment of silence — one minute for each year of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine — reflecting on lives lost, languages threatened, and communities forced to flee their homes.
Last week, Bend City Hall issued a proclamation recognizing the Day of Solidarity with Ukraine. That proclamation was read again Saturday at the Peace Corner gathering, calling on residents to welcome Ukrainian neighbors seeking refuge in Central Oregon.
Mila Shelehoff, founder of Kolovita and creator of the installation, said the event was meant to inspire compassion and unity.
“I call on all Bend residents to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and with your new Ukrainian neighbors,” she said. “Display a white or red dress in your front yard, on your fence, or on a clothesline. We need to be seen. We need to be welcomed. We are here to become part of this community.”
Organizers say the installation shows how small acts of visibility and solidarity can help strengthen cultural connections and foster a more welcoming city.
