Ground penetration radar is being used at former Indian residential school across Canada. (Tammy Cook-Searson/Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

ground radar

Search of former LLRIB residential school cemetery 30 per cent complete

Jul 26, 2021 | 12:48 PM

Ground penetrating radar was used to search 30 per cent of a former residential school cemetery in La Ronge during the weekend.

That’s according to Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson, who explained technicians with SNC-Lavalin were conducting the search on Saturday and Sunday. They are expected to return to continue the scan for three days in late August.

“We still have a lot of work ahead, but so far it has been coming together and people coming out to support each other,” she said. “We’re just really grateful for all the prayers people have said and sent to us. I received a lot of messages and emails and texts, and just people saying they were praying.”

It’s unknown when results from the search will be made public as Cook-Searson mentioned a conversation needs to happen about it and Elders need to be consulted first. She noted, however, all of the searching on the weekend occurred inside the cemetery and searching hasn’t started on locations outside of it. In recent weeks, Elders and community members have come forward with concerns about possible other locations of unmarked graves.

On July 23, a large ceremony was held at La Ronge’s urban reserve where surviving Elders of the former residential school, which burned down in 1947, were honoured with star blankets. Saskatchewan Lt. Gov. Russ Mirasty, Federation of Saskatchewan Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron, Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette and tri-community leadership were all in attendance. The media wasn’t permitted to attend.

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Several Elders were honoured with star blankets at the opening ceremony. (Tammy Cook-Searson/Facebook)

Attendees were encouraged to wear orange as a sign of support. (Tammy Cook-Searson/Facebook)

“We had tables and chairs set up for people to visit,” Cook-Searson said. “We had pipe ceremonies every day and we also had gospel singers come in yesterday from Stanley Mission.”

The gathering ends this afternoon and everyone is welcome to the urban reserve at 1 p.m. for a feast. It will include a closing ceremony and closing of the sacred fire.

Learn more about the Lac La Ronge All Saints Indian Residential School here.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno