Language matters

Why we use ‘Murdered and Missing Indigenous Peoples’ at Buffalo’s Fire

We use MMIP in our reporting while honoring community use of MMIR

Teresa Trumbly Lamsam, Ph.D.

Teresa Trumbly Lamsam, Ph.D.

Director of Research

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As we report on the ongoing crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous peoples, we are intentional in how we frame this issue. At Buffalo’s Fire, we use the term Peoples to emphasize that this is not just a crisis of individuals — it is a crisis that impacts nations, families and communities.

Language matters.

Using Peoples keeps the focus on:

  • Our status as sovereign nations, not just demographic groups
  • The intergenerational and communal impact of this crisis
  • The wide scope of who is affected — including women, men, two-spirit individuals, children and elders across multiple nations

This broader framing is consistent with how Native communities increasingly describe this crisis. Terms like Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) are also being used to resist erasure and to affirm that this is about both the individuals lost and the violence experienced across our nations.

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Why we acknowledge MMIR but use MMIP

Many grassroots organizers and families now use Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives to reflect cultural values of kinship and connection. At Buffalo’s Fire, we honor and respect the use of MMIR by individuals and organizations. When quoting sources who use MMIR, we retain their language.

However, as a news organization, we follow a consistent style. We use MMIP in our reporting because:

  • It keeps the systemic and collective dimensions of the crisis in focus
  • It aligns with broader policy, advocacy and national conversations
  • It connects individual losses to the urgent need for accountability and change at every level of society

Choosing MMIP helps us widen the lens and hold systems accountable while respecting the depth of individual tragedies.

Why we don’t use MMIW or MMIW+C

Earlier efforts to raise awareness often used “Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women” or expanded it to “Women and Children” to highlight specific victims. These terms played a vital role in breaking the silence.

Over time, however, many communities recognized that this framing could unintentionally exclude others who are affected, such as men, two-spirit people and boys. In some cases, it also reinforced negative stereotypes about Native men, which created additional barriers for families seeking justice and support.

Using MMIP allows us to expand the frame, include all who are affected and keep the focus on the systemic causes of this crisis rather than individual blame.

In short

  • MMIP centers individuals and nations. It reflects the collective nature of the crisis and the broader need for systemic change.
  • MMIR emphasizes relational ties and kinship. We respect and retain this term when it’s used by community members or sources.
  • We use MMIP as our standard reporting term because it aligns with our editorial mission and keeps the focus on sovereignty, accountability and justice.

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