'We want to work together': First Nation communities exchanging knowledge of unmarked grave searches

Three Saskatchewan communities and unmarked grave search committees are sharing their experiences and knowledge to others.

Three Saskatchewan communities and unmarked grave search committees are sharing their experiences and knowledge to others.

As more First Nations across the country embark on their own journeys in searching for and discovering unmarked burial sites, many had questions about the process.

‘Learn Our Way,’ a day of education on Thursday, hoped to answer them.

“We really want people to know this is difficult work,” said Regina Indian Industrial School Commemorative Association (RIISCA) chair Sarah Longman.

A cemetery with unmarked graves for the former Regina Indian Residential School in west Regina was granted heritage status by the city in 2016.

RIISCA, in partnership with Star Blanket Cree Nation and George Gordon First Nation, held the day of education.

They shared their lived experience of going through the processes of discovering unmarked graves to other communities who are searching, or have plans to search, sites near their communities.