About a hundred people gathered on the steps of Juneau’s Sealaska Plaza Friday evening for one of several candlelight vigils held around the state for Mackenzie Howard.
Alaska State Troopers are investigating the 13-year-old girl’s murder last week in the small Southeast village of Kake.
The vigil included performances of a Tlingit Mourning Song and a Haida Prayer Song.
Paul Marks of Juneau offered a prayer, struggling at times to find the words to describe the sadness and pain felt by those who attended the gathering.
“But looking around at each and every one of your faces today,” Marks said. “I see a love for your family, because she was our family too.”
Mourners also held candlelight vigils Friday in Kake, Sitka, Petersburg, Anchorage, and Fairbanks.
Organizers collected donations for the Howard family at Friday’s event in Juneau. A checking account has also been set up at Wells Fargo Bank. The account number is 5274579043.
Tlingit Mourning Song led by Nancy Barnes:
Haida Prayer Song led by Vicki Soboleff:
