(Carcross) An investigation into unmarked graves and deaths of children who attended the former Chooutla residential school in Carcross, Yukon, has uncovered 15 “potential” graves on the site or near the school.
Brian Whiting, of GeoScan, which carried out the ground-penetrating radar search, said “more invasive” work would be needed to confirm whether the sites spotted were graves, but noted their location was unclear. consistent with survivors’ accounts.
GeoScan searched more than 37,000 square meters of land. The 15 potential sites were found within a radius of 58 square meters around the site of the former residential school.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s National Indian Residential School Student Death Registry lists 20 students who died at the Chooutla residential school, which was open from 1903 to 1969.
However, researchers revealed Tuesday that the work had allowed them to identify at least 33 students who died at the residential school, in the hospital after attending it or while participating in an activity linked to the residential school.
This discovery joins the many others that have been made across the country in recent months regarding potential graves located on the sites of former residential schools.
Last Thursday, the Stó:lō First Nation in British Columbia announced that it had identified 158 deaths linked to three former residential schools and a hospital, some dating back to 1863.
For Sandra Johnson, the discovery revealed Tuesday in the Yukon “reopened long-healed wounds.” As an advisor to a group that seeks to provide support to the families of children who went missing from Yukon residential schools, she also had a word to pass on to those in the community who might, like her, be upset by this news. .
“May the spirit of our ancestors guide us and the resilience of our communities inspire us all to create a world that is just, inclusive and rooted in compassion,” she said.
Incomplete searches
Nicole Marion, from the Know History research group, specified that their work concerning the Chooutla boarding school began in January 2022 and covered 4,500 archival documents.
The group made access to information requests to gain access to more than 100 files, but was only able to have “partial” access to 70 of them, according to Mme Marion.
“Partial access means that we received a copy of the files we requested, but all personal information of students, children and staff was redacted,” she said.
Of the 1,300 children from the Yukon, Alaska and British Columbia who were taken to the residential school, researchers only know the names of 900 of them.
Mme Marion admitted that she and her team have “very little” information on the precise locations where the 33 children they identified are buried. Researchers also don’t know the names of some of them.
“This research is incomplete,” she admitted.
“As we gain access to more documents, our findings will evolve. In particular, we hope to learn more about who these children were, what they went through and where they are buried. »