ST. PAUL, Alta - The next step of searching the grounds at University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills (UnBQ) for unmarked graves is set to begin in just a matter of weeks.
The former residential school, which is located just a few kilometres west of the Town of St. Paul, announced on Monday morning that phase one of the ground penetrating radar search for "unmarked burial sites" will take place from Aug. 9 to 13.
Dr. Kisha Supernant, Director of the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology at the University of Alberta, and a team of researchers and graduate students will be conducting the search.
Phase one will begin with a pipe ceremony, according to information released by UnBQ, which is now an Indigenous-run post-secondary school offering a long list of programs to students.
"Survivors, inter-generational survivors, and families are welcome to attend," the pipe ceremony. "During this time, cultural and mental health supports will be available," according to the university.
The data collected through radar search will take "several months" to process and interpret, "so we don't expect results until mid-winter," according to information released on Monday morning.
In the past year, survivors have come forward to share their memories and experiences of attending the residential school, which was in operation between the early 1930s up until about 1970.
"In the coming weeks and months we will continue working with our Nations and other organizations involved in this work to ensure that all voices are included as we process with the extensive search of the grounds which we anticipate may take several seasons," reads the information.
The university is planning to host healing gatherings regularly, with the first tentatively set for Aug. 17, specifically for residential school survivors and their families.
"The legacy of Indian Residential Schools is a painful tragedy that all Indigenous Peoples carry. UnBQ has been working for over 50 years to restore and revitalize our languages, cultures, ceremonies, and families that were targeted in these schools," reads the information released on July 25. "We continue the work of our ancestors to transform the school into a place of learning and healing through education and ceremony."
In May of 2022, the Acimowin Opaspiw Society announced it would be moving forward with investigative work at the Blue Quills Sacred Heart residential school site, which was located in Saddle Lake, and in operation from 1898-1931. The work taking place at the Blue Quills Sacred Heart site is separate from the work being done at the UnBQ site.
