Unmarked burials found on site of former Manitoba residential school

A First Nation in Manitoba said it has discovered "indication of human remains" on the site of a former residential school.

Opaskwayak Cree Nation announced Friday that after three days of searching, they had found unmarked burials at the former grounds of MacKay Residential School, located 11 kilometres northwest of The Pas.

The community said human remains detection dogs were involved in the search and indicated "six areas of interest" that may have more than one unmarked burial.

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Chief Maureen Brown called the discovery shocking.

"It's one thing to read about it, it's one thing to realize these discoveries were made in other communities, but it's a whole different level of loss and grief when it's your own community," Brown said.

Brown said many families who had children attend residential schools did not know if their children died until they didn't come home at the end of the school year.

"As far as I'm concerned, (it's) absolutely barbaric and unacceptable," she said.

The residential school has left long-lasting trauma in her community, Brown said, which has been felt by multiple generations.

"We continue to address all of those social issues in our communities, from addiction to violence," she said. "What's happening is a great implosion in our communities because we definitely need the help and we need the powers that be to recognize that it will take generations to heal from the trauma, the grief and the loss."

Ground penetrating radar will be used to confirm points of interest, which Brown said will take place in the spring.

Students from multiple First Nations in the area attended the school from 1914 to 1933, when it was destroyed by fire.

"Throughout the winter months, there will be research taking place in the different communities that went to school there," Brown said.

First Nations across Canada have been searching the sites of former residential schools since 2021 when anomalies were discovered in Kamloops. 

If you are a former residential school student in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419, or the Indian Residential School Survivors Society toll free line at 1-800-721-0066.