Results of residential school ground search offer some 'closure,' say Yukon chiefs
CBC
WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
Maria Benoit says she wasn't surprised by the results of this summer's ground search of a former residential school site in her community.
But the Haa Shaa du Hen (chief) of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation in Yukon says it still feels a "little bit different" to know more about the grim legacy of the former Chooutla Indian Residential School.
"People here always knew that there was, you know, remains here somewhere. The spirits did lots of talking in the past, so everybody kind of knew, and now it's confirmed for sure," Benoit said.
On Tuesday, the Yukon Residential School and Missing Children Project presented the results of research work done this summer, both at the former Chooutla school site in Carcross, and in historical archives. The aim was to get a clearer picture of what happened to some Chooutla students who never made it home.
The researchers used ground-penetrating radar and magnetometers to discover 15 "potential" graves at the Chooutla site, while other researchers studied archival documents to count 33 children who died while at Chooutla.
"I guess I wasn't surprised," said Benoit, about the potential grave sites identified.
"We just didn't know how many, or where, or any of that kind of information."
Vuntut Gwitchin Chief Pauline Frost said the news this week was "shocking."
"But at the same time, it has been long anticipated because we've heard the stories for decades that children never returned home," Frost said.
She said at least seven children from her own First Nation died while at the school, and possibly more.
"It will take a little bit of time to just sit and absorb the information. And then of course you know, just meet with the family groups and dig a little deeper," Frost said.
"And of course just making sure first and foremost that we support everyone."
Frost said there are counsellors in her community this week, and there was also a sacred fire lit in Old Crow.
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