In a solemn announcement, the English River First Nation in Saskatchewan has revealed the discovery of 79 suspected child grave sites and 14 potential infant grave sites, shedding light on the grim legacy of the Beauval Indian Residential School.
During a press conference in Saskatoon, Chief Jenny Wolverine of the English River First Nation lamented that these findings may not represent the final tally. “This is not a final number. It breaks my heart that there are likely more,” she expressed.
The search for these grave sites commenced in August 2021, as English River First Nation employed ground-penetrating radar technology to investigate the grounds of the former Beauval Indian Residential School. Chief Wolverine conveyed the sentiment that although they were uncertain about the outcomes, they were motivated by the intergenerational stories recounting the harsh treatment of students and those who never returned home.
The revised total emerges following the English River First Nation’s disclosure earlier this month of the discovery of 83 suspected unmarked graves. Following this revelation, the First Nation had requested privacy and indicated that further details would be disclosed during the news conference held on Tuesday.
The Beauval Indian Residential School had its origins in 1860 and remained in operation for over a century, according to the University of Regina. Initially overseen by a Roman Catholic mission, it continued to function until 1969.
In 2013, a former dormitory supervisor at the school was convicted of indecent assault and gross indecency for his actions against young boys between 1959 and 1967, underscoring a troubling chapter in the institution’s history.