Regina Mass Burial Site

[CMichaud]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

Sorry for the distracting title. Mass = many. Burial = under the ground.

Mods feel free to change to " Reports of hundreds of potential bodies under the ground at site of former resdenti school. Cause of subteraneon location unknown."

Or something else that gets the knickers unwound.

Why don't we go with this....

Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme spoke at a virtual news conference Thursday morning.

"This is not a mass grave site. These are unmarked graves," Delorme said.

Delorme said there may have at one point been markers for the graves. He said the Roman Catholic church, which oversaw the cemetery,may have removed markers at some point in the 1960s.

He said it was not immediately clear if all of the unmarked graves belonged to children, but that there were oral stories within Cowesses First Nation about both children and adults being there.

He said some of the remains discovered may be people who attended the church or were from nearby towns.

Originally Posted by Phil McCracken

I have a question on this...if this was discussed prior, and I missed it somehow, then please disregard.

Whenever a child passed on while in these schools, weren't the NOK (Next of kin) notified?

In some cases they were. In some cases I suspect contact was attempted but technology and distance may have proved this difficult. In some cases they probably made no effort whatsoever.

From https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/long...-children-dead

During a 1937 outbreak of measles at the Kamloops residential school, a nurse gave student Mary Francois some Aspirin, mustard plasters and brandy after the girl fell ill on May 3.

On May 10, Mary was taken by car to the nearby Royal Inland Hospital. She had been sick with pneumonia, two bacterial ear infections and inflamed kidneys. That day, the school principal sent a letter to her parents — but they never received it.

The local Indian agent phoned them on the morning of May 13. But when the parents arrived at the hospital that evening, it was too late.

Mary was dead from a blood clot in her brain.

[brendan's dad]

I think it is the use of the word "Mass" that is enraging people.

When I hear the words "mass grave" or "mass burial site", it brings up memories of images I have seen in documentaries and movies about the holocaust or genocide in 3rd world countries.

To think there would be enough children dying at the same time that they would be all buried in the same unmarked hole is unthinkable and I truly hope it did not happen. Or the idea of digging up the same hole to add more bodies is just as hard to fathom.

I think the entire residential school history is dark and disturbing enough and does not need any additional "shock factor" by the media.

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by brendan's dad

I think it is the use of the word "Mass" that is enraging people.

When I hear the words "mass grave" or "mass burial site", it brings up memories of images I have seen in documentaries and movies about the holocaust or genocide in 3rd world countries.

To think there would be enough children dying at the same time that they would be all buried in the same unmarked hole is unthinkable and I truly hope it did not happen. Or the idea of digging up the same hole to add more bodies is just as hard to fathom.

I think the entire residential school history is dark and disturbing enough and does not need any additional "shock factor" by the media.

Exactly this. You would also think that if it was infact a mass grave, that the survivors would have raised concerns. How do hundreds of lives, many children go to a mass grave without any questions being asked. This would mean a mass cover up by everyone, church, state, police etc.

BW

[rmk800]

Originally Posted by brendan's dad

I think it is the use of the word "Mass" that is enraging people.

You nailed it. We get visions of pol pot and 20 million cambodians executed and tossed in a ditch. I dont believe that 700+ kids were rounded up and lined up along a ditch to meet their fate. Yes neglect and abuse occured. No argument. Its terrible and perverted and shame on the catholic church and governments of the time. But is it possible that over 100 years and thousands of children crammed into a school during spanish flu/tuberculosis/polio/measles etc outbreaks with no modern medicine that the child death rate might be similar to what one would expect throughout rural canada at the time? And maybe unmarked burial in a field behind the school was the normal method at the time?

Heres my .02:
The lack of markings or headstones appears fishy and leads one to believe there is something being covered up (pardon the pun). The lack of cooperation from the catholic church to release records regarding deaths, names, causes of deaths and location of burial also appears like they are covering some wrong doing up. It is awful and i feel for the families and the children but I ask this question: If the grave sites were marked and names/number known would there still be outrage? Would it be less of a crime?

[IronNoggin]

Sask. First Nation announces discovery of 751 unmarked graves near former residential school

"Teams were unable to confirm if there were more remains, but said there were 751 "recorded hits" at the site and noted there could be more than one set of remains at each "hit." He said the penetrating radar work has a 10 to 15 per cent error rate."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...news-1.6078375

They found 750 instances of subsurface disturbances.
Little early to call them graves without substantiation in my opinion.

Nog

[sns2]

Originally Posted by webster

I am a Treaty Indian and members of my family have attended residential schools. To my knowledge they all returned however a good portion male and female were sexually assaulted and did suffer lifetime effects. I don't have any idea as to what the discovered burial grounds should be called.
I think we need to acknowledge that residential schools did happen and there are bodies of children. Sorrow needs to be expressed by all Canadians. Different First Nations may want the sorrow expressed in different ways. Some may want the bodies identified, left where they are at, others may want the bodies brought back and buried in their First Nation.
Lets recognize that residential schools did exist (many if not all schools now teach about residential schools). Get to know some First Nations culture perhaps by attending a powwow or other events. Likely most of you have friends that are members of First Nations if they want to talk about residential schools and other issues please listen.

Thank you for a good post.

[hogie]

Originally Posted by webster

I am a Treaty Indian and members of my family have attended residential schools. To my knowledge they all returned however a good portion male and female were sexually assaulted and did suffer lifetime effects. I don't have any idea as to what the discovered burial grounds should be called.
I think we need to acknowledge that residential schools did happen and there are bodies of children. Sorrow needs to be expressed by all Canadians. Different First Nations may want the sorrow expressed in different ways. Some may want the bodies identified, left where they are at, others may want the bodies brought back and buried in their First Nation.
Lets recognize that residential schools did exist (many if not all schools now teach about residential schools). Get to know some First Nations culture perhaps by attending a powwow or other events. Likely most of you have friends that are members of First Nations if they want to talk about residential schools and other issues please listen.

All Canadians don't like what was done in the past. We all are horrified by hearing of stories of abuse and neglect.

I'm sure that the Canadians that were around at that time had they know the truth about how some of these schools were being run would have not agreed with it.

The government and the church are the ones at blame. They hid the truth about the horrible conditions from the public. Still goes on today, government lies. The public is told one thing by the media and the truth is hidden. Government and church are the same in my mind. I doubt it will ever change.

Whats hard for many of us is that we were not around when these things took place or really never had any knowledge of it. Yet it feels like we should accept blame for a previous generation .

Current Canadians have sorrow and disgust for what was done. We recognize what was done is wrong. We can unite over this and try to overcome it or we will be further divided. It will take both sides to make things better.

[tirebob]

Originally Posted by hogie

All Canadians don't like what was done in the past. We all are horrified by hearing of stories of abuse and neglect.

I'm sure that the Canadians that were around at that time had they know the truth about how some of these schools were being run would have not agreed with it.

The government and the church are the ones at blame. They hid the truth about the horrible conditions from the public. Still goes on today, government lies. The public is told one thing by the media and the truth is hidden. Government and church are the same in my mind. I doubt it will ever change.

Whats hard for many of us is that we were not around when these things took place or really never had any knowledge of it. Yet it feels like we should accept blame for a previous generation .

Current Canadians have sorrow and disgust for what was done. We recognize what was done is wrong. We can unite over this and try to overcome it or we will be further divided. It will take both sides to make things better.

I think here in lies the crux... No matter the heat and semantics of the conversation, I don't think anybody is asking our generation to accept "blame". What we are being asked to do is achieve understanding and acknowledgement of both what happened and how this is contributing to the issues that still do greatly impact the survivors and the family and community of survivors to this day. It is far too simplistic to say this is something that is in the past. The survivors of this abuse and their children, and grand children, and great grand children have had their worlds formed around the results of this pain and abuse and it is really only starting to be talked about and dealt with.

These are not the sorts of things that go away in a generation.

As for the politics behind this on all fronts, that is something those at the top play with. The rest of us peons on all sides just get used as pawns. If we all just keep fighting to be heard like many of us tend to do instead of standing back and listening, it will not improve. Nobody listens and learns from being yelled at and being combative (not suggesting that is at all what you are doing FTR). That is when the person you are trying to communicate with shuts down and simply glazes over, in turn accomplishing nothing except maybe making oneself feel better thinking they made their point and won some unseen battle.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by bessiedog

Sorry
I kinda thought mass burial site was an attempt to not call it ‘mass grave’ cause it sorta connotes something different and it’s exactly the same as cemetery or place where some kinda possible ceremony internment happened ....

You google it and see if you see it different.

I’m thinkin we gots some knee-jerk opposition responses.

Wayne..? Guys...? Am I wrong?

And Mountain TI.... I don’t think Bob is’declaring sides’ or drawing lines in the sand’ here.

Read the whole post, he called it a mass grave.

[tirebob]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Read the whole post, he called it a mass grave.

I was referring to the title of the thread which is what essentially draws people into the conversation. Personally after that I have a little more leeway with the semantics in the talking points understanding the conversation before entering, but that's just me. I can see the confusion to some though for sure.

[sk270]

Originally Posted by rmk800

But is it possible that over 100 years and thousands of children crammed into a school during spanish flu/tuberculosis/polio/measles etc outbreaks with no modern medicine that the child death rate might be similar to what one would expect throughout rural canada at the time?

Originally Posted by hogie

I'm sure that the Canadians that were around at that time had they know the truth about how some of these schools were being run would have not agreed with it.

Actually, Dr. Bryce reported the conditions in the Residential Schools to the Department of Indian Affairs in 1907. He had seen death rates far higher than in the population at large, especially due to tuberculosis, made worse by malnutrition, overcrowding, lack of medical care and housing sick children in poorly-ventilated dormitories with healthy children. Duncan Campbell Scott, Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs, basically told Dr. Bryce that no action would be taken.

The report was leaked and the situation exposed in various newspapers across Canada. Public outrage was short-lived and Scott blocked any action by government.

I am mentioning this because we need to realize that conditions in these schools were very bad, even if there had been no actual physical or sexual abuse. Not only that, but the government and the public were aware of the situation.

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by sns2

Make a super thread, and just call it Residential Schools Fallout, that way no one can say anything about tabloid titles. Combine the two threads, but if you guys lock this down all you are going to do is drive more people away. Sigh.

No one is locking this down , but derails and insults will be deleted and possibly infracted.
There won’t be a super thread for this topic , those go sideways too often.
Stick to the subject matter and keep it respectful is all we ask.

[Iron Brew]

I’m thinking it’s time to remove the tax free status for religions.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by hogie

All Canadians don't like what was done in the past. We all are horrified by hearing of stories of abuse and neglect.

I'm sure that the Canadians that were around at that time had they know the truth about how some of these schools were being run would have not agreed with it.

The government and the church are the ones at blame. They hid the truth about the horrible conditions from the public. Still goes on today, government lies. The public is told one thing by the media and the truth is hidden. Government and church are the same in my mind. I doubt it will ever change.

Whats hard for many of us is that we were not around when these things took place or really never had any knowledge of it. Yet it feels like we should accept blame for a previous generation .

Current Canadians have sorrow and disgust for what was done. We recognize what was done is wrong. We can unite over this and try to overcome it or we will be further divided. It will take both sides to make things better.

I agree with what you are saying, but, as with so many of these discussions and scenarios, how many generations of Government and Church and tax payers are to be held responsible?

The past PM very openly and publicly spoke about these issues, and here it is again because more is being dug up. Literally, dug up.

What are the demands from the families that this directly affected?

[hilt134]

Not really surprised. I mean they where looking for a reason and when you look for something you tend to find something. It’s a horrible business all around

[hilt134]

Originally Posted by webster

I am a Treaty Indian and members of my family have attended residential schools. To my knowledge they all returned however a good portion male and female were sexually assaulted and did suffer lifetime effects. I don't have any idea as to what the discovered burial grounds should be called.
I think we need to acknowledge that residential schools did happen and there are bodies of children. Sorrow needs to be expressed by all Canadians. Different First Nations may want the sorrow expressed in different ways. Some may want the bodies identified, left where they are at, others may want the bodies brought back and buried in their First Nation.
Lets recognize that residential schools did exist (many if not all schools now teach about residential schools). Get to know some First Nations culture perhaps by attending a powwow or other events. Likely most of you have friends that are members of First Nations if they want to talk about residential schools and other issues please listen.

I just don’t think that anyone is really denying anything. Or that anyone can dictate how another’s sorrow is expressed. DI also really do not like insincerity, if someone isn’t feeling particularly sorrowful I think them just butting out is fine. They should however show some respect to the people who do feel the affect of this, as any good person would.

I draw the line at being told I should feel guilty or responsible for these burials. Or at the sensationalism I see from social media or news outlets try to affect political change I really don’t agree with. Also a super thread wouldn’t hurt. This is going to be an on going story for definitely the next few years. It will at times merge with the political thread but that’s how it goes

[sk270]

Originally Posted by hilt134

I just don’t think that anyone is really denying anything. Or that anyone can dictate how another’s sorrow is expressed. DI also really do not like insincerity, if someone isn’t feeling particularly sorrowful I think them just butting out is fine. They should however show some respect to the people who do feel the affect of this, as any good person would.

I draw the line at being told I should feel guilty or responsible for these burials. Or at the sensationalism I see from social media or news outlets try to affect political change I really don’t agree with. Also a super thread wouldn’t hurt. This is going to be an on going story for definitely the next few years. It will at times merge with the political thread but that’s how it goes

I agree with much of what you say.

We should note, however, that the conditions in the Residential Schools was public knowledge in 1907 and that the Department of Indian Affairs, the churches and the public did nothing to change things.

I'm not sure what political change you don't agree with. Despite the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report and the MMIWG Report, there are a number of posters on here who sound as if this is all news to them. I find that disturbing.

I am also disturbed by the fact that I really don't know what I can do about the situation.

[hogie]

Originally Posted by tirebob

I think here in lies the crux... No matter the heat and semantics of the conversation, I don't think anybody is asking our generation to accept "blame". What we are being asked to do is achieve understanding and acknowledgement of both what happened and how this is contributing to the issues that still do greatly impact the survivors and the family and community of survivors to this day. It is far too simplistic to say this is something that is in the past. The survivors of this abuse and their children, and grand children, and great grand children have had their worlds formed around the results of this pain and abuse and it is really only starting to be talked about and dealt with.

These are not the sorts of things that go away in a generation.

As for the politics behind this on all fronts, that is something those at the top play with. The rest of us peons on all sides just get used as pawns. If we all just keep fighting to be heard like many of us tend to do instead of standing back and listening, it will not improve. Nobody listens and learns from being yelled at and being combative (not suggesting that is at all what you are doing FTR). That is when the person you are trying to communicate with shuts down and simply glazes over, in turn accomplishing nothing except maybe making oneself feel better thinking they made their point and won some unseen battle.

Perhaps where I feel this way is from my daughters in grade 3 and 4. They have been learning about residential schools. Orange shirt day and other things.

When the news broke on the Kamloops school they came home and new about it from school. Told my wife how we were responsible for this . I asked where did they get that we did this. They told me they had a assembly that this was addressed at by the school. I had to explain that we didn't do this, that government and the church did this.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't like the word we being used for past situations that many of us were not around.

[hilt134]

Originally Posted by sk270

I agree with much of what you say.

We should note, however, that the conditions in the Residential Schools was public knowledge in 1907 and that the Department of Indian Affairs, the churches and the public did nothing to change things.

I'm not sure what political change you don't agree with. Despite the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report and the MMIWG Report, there are a number of posters on here who sound as if this is all news to them. I find that disturbing.

I am also disturbed by the fact that I really don't know what I can do about the situation.

Totally this didn’t exactly happen in secret. That just doesn’t really affect how I feel about it 114 years later. The politics I object to is stuff I’ve largely seen from friend. Things like reperations, and the idea that every non native person is a colonizer. I also disagree with some of reconciliation topics I’ve heard of.

I’m not shocked that this is actually news to some people. Like a lot of the darker parts of history it wasn’t always taught or talked about much. In my own life, out side of school I’ve never actually talked about residential school. Never had a particular reason too. That’s why I don’t think it’s a bad thing to being it to light.

I do wonder why you feel the need to do something about the situation? As I said I don’t feel guilty or responsible for the situation and I also don’t see what currently what needs to be fixed. As it stand I think it’s for the people closest involved to decide what they want to do with the sites and that definitely isn’t me.

[hilt134]

Originally Posted by tirebob

I think here in lies the crux... No matter the heat and semantics of the conversation, I don't think anybody is asking our generation to accept "blame". What we are being asked to do is achieve understanding and acknowledgement of both what happened and how this is contributing to the issues that still do greatly impact the survivors and the family and community of survivors to this day. It is far too simplistic to say this is something that is in the past. The survivors of this abuse and their children, and grand children, and great grand children have had their worlds formed around the results of this pain and abuse and it is really only starting to be talked about and dealt with.

Most people aren’t asking for us to take the blame but some people are demanding it.

[tirebob]

Originally Posted by hogie

Perhaps where I feel this way is from my daughters in grade 3 and 4. They have been learning about residential schools. Orange shirt day and other things.

When the news broke on the Kamloops school they came home and new about it from school. Told my wife how we were responsible for this . I asked where did they get that we did this. They told me they had a assembly that this was addressed at by the school. I had to explain that we didn't do this, that government and the church did this.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't like the word we being used for past situations that many of us were not around.

No I don't think you are wrong. As an adult you and I can rationalize "WE" as a general term indicating that is was "we the people" or "we as a nation" sort of thought, but try saying that to little kids who interpret "WE" to mean "ME" and "YOU" is unfair for sure as they know no different. I guess that is where it becomes our job to explain to our children what really happened rather than relying on a system which really is more concerned with towing lines than teaching skills.

That right there though is exactly why it is important that we all work extremely diligently to truly learn what really happened and figure out exactly how to digest and empathize earnestly so we can make them understand how terrible this situation is and how it is wholly unacceptable and should not just be swept under the proverbial rug, and to do that it does require hard questions and tough to hear answers from all sides. That only happens with open dialog and a willingness for everyone to listen, and that is really a hard thing for most of us to do even if we don't think so.

Originally Posted by hilt134

Most people aren’t asking for us to take the blame but some people are demanding it.

You will never get everyone on the same page, but that makes it even more important to not sink to the levels of those who cannot see.

[sk270]

Originally Posted by hilt134

Totally this didn’t exactly happen in secret. That just doesn’t really affect how I feel about it 114 years later. The politics I object to is stuff I’ve largely seen from friend. Things like reperations, and the idea that every non native person is a colonizer. I also disagree with some of reconciliation topics I’ve heard of.

I’m not shocked that this is actually news to some people. Like a lot of the darker parts of history it wasn’t always taught or talked about much. In my own life, out side of school I’ve never actually talked about residential school. Never had a particular reason too. That’s why I don’t think it’s a bad thing to being it to light.

I do wonder why you feel the need to do something about the situation? As I said I don’t feel guilty or responsible for the situation and I also don’t see what currently what needs to be fixed. As it stand I think it’s for the people closest involved to decide what they want to do with the sites and that definitely isn’t me.

I think tirebob explains it well, particularly in post #38. What needs to be dealt with is the long-term effects of the Residential School system and the attitudes that supported it.

I don't see how anyone who keeps up with the news at all could have missed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission or the Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman and Girls. Both of these processes were covered heavily while they were in progress and when the reports were issued. It seems like every aspiring lawyer on here has heard of Gladue so how did they miss TRC and MMIWG?

I think that they ignored those reports and the various other fictional and factual accounts about what happened. For example, I recall reading "In Search of April Raintree" in the 80's. These things have been common knowledge for decades and I am shocked that people claim to know nothing about it. I hate to admit it, but the mainstream media is basically doing a good job of bringing this stuff into the spotlight.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by sk270

The report was leaked and the situation exposed in various newspapers across Canada. Public outrage was short-lived and Scott blocked any action by government.

Like the public outrage back then so to will todays outrage dwindle. There will be apologies, royal commissions and so on. People are already tired of it, attention spans are short nowadays, media attention span is also short, the sensational shock value of the issue only lasts for so long, people tune out, the issue gets replaced by the next shock jock media sensation that comes along, focus changes.

Even on these threads here people are starting to tune out.

[hilt134]

Originally Posted by sk270

I think tirebob explains it well, particularly in post #38. What needs to be dealt with is the long-term effects of the Residential School system and the attitudes that supported it.

I don't see how anyone who keeps up with the news at all could have missed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission or the Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman and Girls. Both of these processes were covered heavily while they were in progress and when the reports were issued. It seems like every aspiring lawyer on here has heard of Gladue so how did they miss TRC and MMIWG?

I think that they ignored those reports and the various other fictional and factual accounts about what happened. For example, I recall reading "In Search of April Raintree" in the 80's. These things have been common knowledge for decades and I am shocked that people claim to know nothing about it. I hate to admit it, but the mainstream media is basically doing a good job of bringing this stuff into the spotlight.

Up until today I’ve never read a single report you mentioned. A lot of people don’t keep up with the news or history for that matter as it doesn’t affect their everyday lives or they just can’t be bothered. I also expect that a lot of recent immigrants haven’t done so either. As I said I don’t think it’s a bad thing that what happened in residential schools is being brought to attention.

I disagree with some of what Tirebob says. As you said what need to be dealt with the affect and the attitudes. I personally think the attitude portion has since been fixed. However with either of these issues I fail to see how they aren’t political in nature. Or at least the solutions will be political in nature certainly the 94 points in the TRC are definitely are.

[hogie]

Originally Posted by tirebob

No I don't think you are wrong. As an adult you and I can rationalize "WE" as a general term indicating that is was "we the people" or "we as a nation" sort of thought, but try saying that to little kids who interpret "WE" to mean "ME" and "YOU" is unfair for sure as they know no different. I guess that is where it becomes our job to explain to our children what really happened rather than relying on a system which really is more concerned with towing lines than teaching skills.

That right there though is exactly why it is important that we all work extremely diligently to truly learn what really happened and figure out exactly how to digest and empathize earnestly so we can make them understand how terrible this situation is and how it is wholly unacceptable and should not just be swept under the proverbial rug, and to do that it does require hard questions and tough to hear answers from all sides. That only happens with open dialog and a willingness for everyone to listen, and that is really a hard thing for most of us to do even if we don't think so.

You will never get everyone on the same page, but that makes it even more important to not sink to the levels of those who cannot see.

I agree with you, this needs to be dealt with now. We as country need to find out exactly what happened. This can't turn into a we found evidence and won't go any further from there. Unfortunately this means shovels in the ground and actual facts being found out. Remains dated. Causes of deaths.

Not sure as an adult I like the term we yet. Still inclined to think that it's not a fair term to use. We in my mind is in the present.

[hogie]

Originally Posted by sk270

Actually, Dr. Bryce reported the conditions in the Residential Schools to the Department of Indian Affairs in 1907. He had seen death rates far higher than in the population at large, especially due to tuberculosis, made worse by malnutrition, overcrowding, lack of medical care and housing sick children in poorly-ventilated dormitories with healthy children. Duncan Campbell Scott, Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs, basically told Dr. Bryce that no action would be taken.

The report was leaked and the situation exposed in various newspapers across Canada. Public outrage was short-lived and Scott blocked any action by government.

I am mentioning this because we need to realize that conditions in these schools were very bad, even if there had been no actual physical or sexual abuse. Not only that, but the government and the public were aware of the situation.

I really don't think the public was to aware of the situation. My reasoning behind this is that even today most people don't pay much attention to events. If they do is for a brief second and on to the next.

Back in 1907 I'm pretty sure most people did not have access to the news like we do now. Urban people would have had better access , rural word of mouth at Sunday service for most. Even in cities how many people would have paid attention if they were told. Different times, with the government and church saying they were doing good. As good citizens you don't question the government and church.

My mother is 88, still sharp mentally. I asked her what she knows about this. She really didn't remember anything about it. Wasn't common knowledge about residential schools. My mother's memories of the local FN was they traded goods with each other. They dealt with one family who would come over and have supper with them at times. Mom grew up very poor, 6 siblings and parents as farmers. They didn't have access to news readily. They had a radio , only used for special times as they had to save the battery. No electricity until the late 50s. They only went to town every few months to get supplies, I don't think a newspaper was high on the list to survive.

Maybe typical of many Canadian people at that time? You assume that everyone has knowledge of events when many really don't.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by bat119

the first nation took over the school's cemetery from the catholic church in the 1970s.

Earlier this month cowessess started using ground-penetrating radar to locate unmarked graves. It was not immediately clear if all the remains are connected to the residential school.

Cowessess chief cadmus delorme spoke at a virtual news conference thursday morning.

"this is not a mass grave site. These are unmarked graves," delorme said.

Delorme said there may have at one point been markers for the graves. he said the roman catholic church, which oversaw the cemetery,may have removed markers at some point in the 1960s.

he said it was not immediately clear if all of the unmarked graves belonged to children, but that there were oral stories within cowesses first nation about both children and adults being there.

The church owes an explanation as why the markers were removed

100%

[sns2]

Originally Posted by hogie

I really don't think the public was to aware of the situation. My reasoning behind this is that even today most people don't pay much attention to events. If they do is for a brief second and on to the next.

Back in 1907 I'm pretty sure most people did not have access to the news like we do now. Urban people would have had better access , rural word of mouth at Sunday service for most. Even in cities how many people would have paid attention if they were told. Different times, with the government and church saying they were doing good. As good citizens you don't question the government and church.

My mother is 88, still sharp mentally. I asked her what she knows about this. She really didn't remember anything about it. Wasn't common knowledge about residential schools. My mother's memories of the local FN was they traded goods with each other. They dealt with one family who would come over and have supper with them at times. Mom grew up very poor, 6 siblings and parents as farmers. They didn't have access to news readily. They had a radio , only used for special times as they had to save the battery. No electricity until the late 50s. They only went to town every few months to get supplies, I don't think a newspaper was high on the list to survive.

Maybe typical of many Canadian people at that time? You assume that everyone has knowledge of events when many really don't.

The average Canadian at the time would have had little to no knowledge, except that the Indians were getting schooling and religion, which would have been highly agreed with. The schools would often take kids choirs to churches in towns and hamlets all around to raise the profile of the "good work" they felt they were doing.

[roper1]

Originally Posted by sns2

The average Canadian at the time would have had little to no knowledge, except that the Indians were getting schooling and religion, which would have been highly agreed with. The schools would often take kids choirs to churches in towns and hamlets all around to raise the profile of the "good work" they felt they were doing.

It's impossible to support the Church's position, but they thought they were doing the right thing. Some good stories, many bad ones, but I've seen a lot of stories become accepted fact by the third recital. Just so hard to look at that time in history with this time's lens.

I feel for our Indigenous peoples, I just have no concept how accurate the stories are. Cause & effect, I wonder if there were kids better off in the residential schools?

[hilt134]

Originally Posted by bat119

The First Nation took over the school's cemetery from the Catholic Church in the 1970s.

Earlier this month Cowessess started using ground-penetrating radar to locate unmarked graves. It was not immediately clear if all the remains are connected to the residential school.

Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme spoke at a virtual news conference Thursday morning.

"This is not a mass grave site. These are unmarked graves," Delorme said.

Delorme said there may have at one point been markers for the graves. He said the Roman Catholic church, which oversaw the cemetery,may have removed markers at some point in the 1960s.

He said it was not immediately clear if all of the unmarked graves belonged to children, but that there were oral stories within Cowesses First Nation about both children and adults being there.

The church owes an explanation as why the markers were removed

One thing I am wondering is why are we only hearing about this particular site now? If the First Nations took over the cemetery back then I wouldnt exactly call it a new discovery. Also the church owes an explanation as to whether or not the graves where ever marked in anyway. It’s not a forgone conclusion that they where.