In Canada, another 54 graves have been found at two former Catholic boarding schools. They are probably the graves of indigenous children who were put in boarding schools until the end of the last century, to force them to adapt to the white Canadian culture.
The graves were found by the Keeseekoose First Nation, an indigenous community of Canada. “They have disappeared from the face of the earth, never to be seen again,” community leader Lee Kitchemonia told Average Canadian† “That’s the hardest part.”
He says he is happy that questions have finally been answered, even though many questions remain. For example, it is now possible to find out whether the children are related to members of the community.
The discovery was made in the province of Saskatchewan, using a ground radar. This is a technique in which an image is made of the subsurface. The graves were located at St. Philip’s and Fort Pelly Schools, which were administered by the Catholic Church and were open from 1905 to 1913 and from 1928 to 1969.
Adapt to culture
Across Canada, 150,000 Indigenous children were sent to 139 boarding schools. The children were separated from their families and were meant to adapt to the culture of Canada’s white residents. Children were abused and murdered in the schools.
Regularly mass graves of children are found near schools. Last month, 50 more graves were found at a boarding school in British Columbia. That boarding school was closed in 1981.
The Canadian government has apologized and offered the indigenous peoples converted early this year 28 billion euros to compensate for the suffering inflicted on them.
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