The cemetery at the site of the former Lac La Ronge All Saints Indian Residential School is located adjacent to the urban reserve in La Ronge. (Submitted photo/Jim Searson)

By Derek Cornet

uncovering the truth

‘It’s not going to be easy’: La Ronge residential school cemetery search set to commence

Jul 22, 2021 | 5:18 PM

Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Chief Tammy Cook-Searson is asking for prayers and strength as a historic residential school cemetery is about to be searched using ground penetration radar technology.

The cemetery is located downtown La Ronge across from the town’s beach and dates back to at least the early 1900s. It’s adjacent to the band’s urban reserve, the site of two former residential schools that operated for decades.

This is the second residential school built on the site now located in downtown La Ronge. (Library and Archives Canada (PA- 020295))

The first Lac La Ronge All Saints Indian Residential School, which was operated by the Anglican Church of Canada, opened in 1907 but later burned down in 1920. A replacement school was built afterwards and it too was destroyed by fire in 1947. The space was later occupied by a hospital, before it became an urban reserve.

“We are going to be doing a feast and a blessing tomorrow at 5 p.m., but we will have meals there every day,” Cook-Searson said about the four-day gathering starting Friday. “There will be a lot of people there this weekend because a lot of people have been phoning from all over wanting to come. Everyone is welcome. It’s not going to be easy. We know it’s going to be difficult. As long as we are there to support each other, that’s the main thing.”

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The search will be conducted by SNC-Lavalin at no cost to the LLRIB. Technicians and equipment is expected to arrive tomorrow, followed by two days of searching for unmarked graves. Cook-Searson noted technicians will examine locations not just within the cemetery, but other spots where Elders and others have come forward with concerns.

For instance, she mentioned as per oral history, those in the past who were unbaptized were not buried in the cemetery.

Weeks worth of work went into preparing the cemetery for ground penetrating radar to begin. Elder Tom Sanderson Sr. and his crew was hired to perform the work, which including clearing brush and cutting grass. Cook-Searson added they were also careful not to disturb the ground by pulling out roots or other activities.

“We just made sure we cleaned it very respectfully and we also cleaned the outside of the cemetery too,” she said.

The cemetery does include some marked graves, but very few. (Submitted photo/Jim Searson)

The Nation Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified there being at least 3,200 unmarked graves throughout Canada, but more than 1,000 have already been located at just a handful of former school sites. For most of the history of the schools, the practice was not to send the bodies of students who died at schools to their home communities.

Based on records, the TRC estimates at least 4,100 children died at those schools, but the number is likely much higher.

Throughout the next four days, mental health supports will be available at the urban reserve for those who need it.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno