Lytton First Nation hopes to receive provincial funding for searching residential school site

“We have one marked grave, and there are several unmarked graves,” Acting Chief John Haugen said. “We’re not as extensive as what may have occurred in Kamloops or the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan. We do know there are – I believe three different burial sites within our residential school property.”

Haugen said being able to start an investigation into the St. George’s Indian Residential School site would mean a lot for Lytton First Nation. As there are many unanswered questions around children who went missing, or never made it home.

“We’ve always said, for parents, it’s the hardest thing in the world to bury your child,” Haugen said. “Worse than that is parents who never got to know what happened to their child. Whether they died or went missing… most of those parents are gone now. We always knew there were horrific stories associated with residential schools. A lot of the healing only takes place when people are able to tell their stories, and people are able to listen. When some of those stories are challenged, it’s not the best of any world.”

Lytton First Nation is familiar with ground-penetrating radar technology that Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc used for their discovery. Haugen said GeoScan used it at one of Lytton First Nation’s older chief’s memorial gravesite. Unfortunately, the cost of the technology has prevented Lytton First Nation from conducting their own investigation at the former residential school site.

“Knowing the province is willing to assist, we’re hopeful to get community members together and plan the best way forward to use their knowledge as a collective and work together to bring more healing to our community,” Haugen said.

Haugen said there are ways for the public to assist Lytton First Nation. He said they’ve been looking to hire a communications manager prior to the discovery at Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. He said it would help Lytton First Nation with applying for funding and telling the stories of their community.

For First Nations across the country, Haugen said the public can be supportive and understanding by continuing their signs of solidarity, such as the trucking convoys, to keep bringing the stories of residential schools to the attention of governments and the wider Canadian public.

by Aaron Schulze

Lytton First Nation hopes to receive provincial funding for searching residential school site

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