(Photo credit: Tina Pelletier)
Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, with technical support from Saskatchewan Polytechnic, is conducting a ground-penetrating radar survey with the goal of identifying unmarked graves associated with the residential school that operated in Sturgeon Landing.
The Sturgeon Landing Residential School, run by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Saint Hyacinthe, began operations in 1926, officially opening in 1927. The school claimed to “save the nomadic Indian population from great poverty,” but caused deep harm by erasing the language, culture, and family ties of many Indigenous children.
In 1952, the school was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. Students were relocated to The Pas, and the Guy Hill Residential School was established in 1957.
On September 20, PBCN hosted a Truth and Reconciliation Gathering at the Sturgeon Landing site to honour the children who attended the school, especially those who did not return.
(Photo credit: National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation-children at Sturgeon Landing Residential School)
“Sturgeon Landing holds deep scars for our community,” said PBCN Vice Chief Justin Halcrow in a media release. “Many of our children were taken from their families, cultures, and identities here. As we search for unmarked graves, we honour those who never returned and continue our path toward healing. Every child mattered, and we will ensure their stories are remembered and their spirits honoured.”
Saskatchewan Polytechnic also emphasized their commitment to the project. “ “Our team is honoured to be entrusted with this significant work, and we hope this project will contribute to reconciliation efforts,” says associate vice president, Applied Research and Innovation at Sask Polytech, Dr. Susan Blum, in a media release. “We are privileged to share our technical expertise, equipment, and experience to collaborate with community partners on important applied research projects like this. Our team will be using remote sensing technologies to locate unidentified and unmarked grave sites at Sturgeon Landing and provide the findings to PBCN.”
PBCN is requesting the permission, prayers, and support of its leadership, Elders, knowledge keepers, and members for the success of this project. The research team will work from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM daily. The survey begins today and is expected to wrap up on Friday. PBCN also says that it’s likely that additional GPR work will take place in 2025, as the site is large and has complex geological and disturbed land conditions.