The cemetery grounds at the site of the former Beauval Indian Residential School. (Submitted)

By CKOM News Staff

Sask. First Nation locates 93 unmarked graves at site of former residential school

Aug 29, 2023 | 2:09 PM

The English River First Nation (ERFN) has announced the discovery of 93 unmarked graves at the site of the former Beauval Indian Residential School.

The First Nation said it believes the graves hold the remains of 79 children and 14 infants.

“Schools should come with playgrounds, not graveyards,” ERFN Chief Jenny Wolverine said in a release.

According to that release, on Aug. 8, ground-penetrating radar produced several positive hits at the former site of the school. The initial findings of the Areas of Interest (AOI’s) were consistent with what were believed to be 83 possible unmarked graves.

“We are saddened to learn of the additional findings and we know our work is not over, not at Beauval and not at any of the other residential school sites,” Wolverine said in the release.

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“We need to pool our resources, First Nations and Métis, to continue. We need Canada and Saskatchewan to step up, acknowledge and provide meaningful resources that meet the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of survivors and addresses the intergenerational impacts to families.”

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation says the St. Bruno’s boarding school was opened by Roman Catholic missionaries in 1860 at Ile-a-la-Crosse.

“In 1906 the school was moved to the confluence of the La Plonge and Beaver Rivers,” the NCTR said. “In 1927, 19 students and one teacher died in a fire that destroyed the school and the dormitories.

“In 1969 the federal government took over the administration of the school. In 1985 full control of the school and residence was transferred to the Meadow Lake Tribal Council. The residence closed in 1995.”

The chief and council of the English River First Nation were joined at Tuesday’s announcement by Elders and by representatives of the Meadow Lake Tribal Council, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and the Office of the Treaty Commissioner.

Together, they called for action by Canadians and governments to address the injustices suffered by residential school survivors. To that end, they called on groups to implement the Calls to Action, including:

• Installing culturally appropriate memorials in communities;
• Erecting a meaningful and respectful monument to acknowledge all residential schools;
• Creating healing centres to address the continued harms of residential school;
• Providing complete records that list all students who attended residential schools; and
• Embarking on a national educational journey that properly reflects the effects residential schools have had on First Nations and Métis families.

The findings at the former site of the Beauval residential school follow discoveries on other First Nations in Saskatchewan, including the Cowessess First Nation and the Keeseekoose First Nation.

More to come.