As families gather to bury their dead, James Smith Cree Nation struggles to heal

As most people in James Smith Cree Nation were still sleeping, violence erupted. 

The killings began in homes around the northern part of the community before sunrise — at least three attacks, followed by five more in the central village and two in the south, said Chief Robert Head, tracing the path with his hand across a map on the wall of his office.

The survivors gathered at the band office and medical clinic, where they were triaged. Those most badly injured were sent by helicopter to hospitals, while the others were sent by ambulance.

Chief Head stayed in the office until 1 a.m. Monday, Sept. 5, helping the RCMP, emergency responders and the coroner's office gather information.

By then he knew the grim toll — nine of his community members were dead, along with one resident from nearby Weldon, Sask. Another 18 were left injured.

Now the hard work of healing begins, he said.

"It's very tragic and very sad," said Head, chief of Peter Chapman First Nation, one of the three bands that make up James Smith Cree Nation.

"It's going to be a long process for each of these families because they're very heartbroken."

That process is starting slowly as families gather this week to put their loved ones to rest and take part in traditional ceremonies. But Head said the community needs long-term support to break the cycle of pain.

He's pushing for funding to build a healing centre to address long-term trauma and provide spiritual support to young people from elders.

"The federal government and possibly the provincial government should be behind this because this is unprecedented," Head said during an interview with CBC News.

"This is like the worst tragedy in First Nations country all across Canada."

It's also personal.

In this tight-knit community of approximately 3,700 band members — 1,800 of whom live on reserve — no one was left untouched by the tragedy.