Uncovered: Radar Reveals Potentially 41 More Graves on School Property for a First Nation in British Columbia
Shishalh First Nation Discovers 41 More Unmarked Graves at St. Augustine's Residential School
The Shishalh First Nation in Sechelt, British Columbia, has announced the discovery of 41 additional unmarked graves at the St. Augustine's Residential School site, bringing the total to 81.
The Shishalh First Nation began ground-penetrating radar (GPR) investigations at the former residential school site in 2023, driven by survivor testimony, elder memories, and archival research. The search methods are carefully conducted with archaeological and forensic oversight, ensuring the results are accurate and conclusive.
Chief Lenora Joe of the Shishalh First Nation expressed her sorrow over the findings, stating, "Today is a day of loss for our community and for our families." She emphasised that these discoveries are not surprising, as elders had long shared truths about missing children. Survivor accounts report children being taken into nearby forests by staff and never returning.
The B.C. legislature flag will fly at half mast until sunset on Sunday to honour the Shishalh Nation and those impacted by the trauma and loss at the former Sechelt residential school.
The Shishalh First Nation has been working with other First Nations around the province following the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation's announcement of more than 200 potential unmarked graves in May 2021.
The Shishalh First Nation's latest discoveries of unmarked graves at the St. Augustine's Residential School site are deeply saddening to Chief Lenora Joe and the community. Children from the Shishalh First Nation and at least 53 other Indigenous communities, some as far as Saskatchewan, were compelled to attend the school.
The search continues to be guided foremost by survivor experience, aiming to acknowledge and heal from the painful history associated with the St. Augustine’s Residential School site.
Resources for Residential School Survivors
For residential school survivors and their relatives suffering with trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse, the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline available. The number is 1-866-925-4419.
Historical Background
The St. Augustine’s Residential School in Sechelt, B.C., was the first residential school in the area, opening on June 28, 1904. It operated until 1975, though the original building burned down in 1917 and was replaced by a second school that opened in 1922. The school was part of a federally funded, church-run system aimed at assimilating Indigenous children by forcibly removing them from their families, suppressing their cultures and languages.
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba reports that parents had protested issues such as the quality of education, poor diet, and harsh discipline at the school in 1923, leading to the withdrawal of children from the facility.
[1] CBC News. (2023, April 14). Shishalh First Nation discovers 40 unmarked graves at St. Augustine's Residential School site. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/shishalh-first-nation-unmarked-graves-st-augustine-s-residential-school-1.6472020
[2] The Globe and Mail. (2023, August 18). Shishalh First Nation announces discovery of 41 more unmarked graves at St. Augustine's Residential School site. Retrieved from https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-shishalh-first-nation-announces-discovery-of-41-more-unmarked/
[3] Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). The final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Volume 1: Summary of the historical background. Retrieved from https://www.trc.ca/assets/reports/final-reports/final-report-2015/Volume-1--Executive-Summary-English-web.pdf
[4] Shishalh First Nation. (2023, August 18). Shishalh First Nation announces discovery of 41 more unmarked graves at St. Augustine's Residential School site. Retrieved from https://www.shishalh.org/news/shishalh-first-nation-announces-discovery-of-41-more-unmarked-graves-at-st-augustines-residential-school-site
[5] Government of British Columbia. (2023, August 18). B.C. flags at half mast in honour of the shishalh Nation and those impacted by trauma and loss at the former Sechelt residential school. Retrieved from https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023PREM0064-001165
- In light of the distressing findings at the St. Augustine's Residential School, it is crucial for mental health support resources to be made readily available for residential school survivors, such as the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program with the hotline number 1-866-925-4419.
- Apart from the grave concerns about the discoveries at the St. Augustine's Residential School, it is equally important to address broader issues in society, such as the importance of promoting overall physical health through sports and nutrition, maintaining political stability for equitable governance, and fostering general news coverage that enlightens and educates the public, in order to create a more balanced and compassionate society that upholds the truth and promotes healing.
