Research suggests 88 potential burials at a residential school in northern Alberta
Sucker Creek First Nation Chief Roderick Willier recalls never feeling safe in the 10 years he spent at a residential school in northern Alberta.
“I always had to stay alert when I was there,” Willier said, recalling his time between the ages of seven and 17 at St. Bruno’s Indian Residential School in Joussard, Alta, about 200 miles northwest of Edmonton.
“I was always told, ‘Oh, you have to be careful with them (in residential school)'”
Researchers from the University of Alberta recently found evidence of 88 potential unmarked graves near the former school.
Dr. Kisha Supernant, who led the search, said the project focused on the areas identified by residential school survivors and the elderly of the community.
Supernant’s team surveyed 4,500 square meters of land and used ground-penetrating radar to find pits or grave shafts.
She said the team found signs of unmarked graves outside the school cemetery area in two locations – one close to the workshop on the school grounds, the other near the priest’s residence.
Supernant, who has family roots in Joussard, said the research team recommends further investigation for graves found outside a cemetery on the grounds of a school.
“What’s going on here? What are graves doing in these locations that are not within a known graveyard area?”
But all interpretations and findings through the ground-penetrating system aren’t necessarily true, said Talisha Chaput, an anthropology professor at the University of Alberta.
“Ground penetrating system is a way to look underground … it’s not an end-all-be-all technology,” she said. Chaput said there are alternative methods to confirm whether the graves are actually there.
Some other ways to confirm the potential burials are through student testimonials, historical records, and school attendance records. Excavations or bringing trained dogs to sniff out human bones buried in the ground can also help confirm the unmarked graves.
However, Chaput said the excavations run counter to the teachings of most First Nations.
“Most countries believe that once people are buried, you don’t disturb them,” she said. “Although there are cases where it is unavoidable.”
The community in Joussard has yet to decide on the next steps to confirm the graves.
More than 1,100 people from the community gathered in Joussard on Saturday for a general ceremony to honor those suspected of being in the unmarked graves.
“People were wrapped in the blanket and they cuddled in that blanket to show compassion, care and love,” said Shane Pospisil, executive director of the Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council, which represents a number of First Nations around Lesser Slave Lake in Alberta .
He said the community is feeling a range of emotions – lots of tears and smiles, and for some just an ordinary day on the town.
Pospisil said the community will expand its search for more unmarked graves over the next two years, including land they couldn’t access last summer.
Supernant said First Nations communities face challenges in accessing the land. Some former school areas have been rebuilt into new complexes, while others have been purchased by private landowners.
“This is a real challenge because these are big, big lots that the schools are built on. And there are a lot of places that need to be searched,” she said.
For Willier, the head of Sucker Creek First Nation, it’s all about moving forward and healing as a community as we continue to remember history.
“Now we have to educate our young people because that is something we cannot forget.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 29, 2023.
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This story was produced with the financial support of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
