Tseshaht First Nations investigates suspected grave sites, children’s deaths at former residential school – APTN News
Feb 22, 2023
The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help residential school survivors and their relatives suffering with trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse. The number is 1-866-925-4419.
The Tseshaht First Nation on Vancouver Island has announced the detection of 17 suspected unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school, in an emotional event that combined science and ceremony on Tuesday.
The nation, which took the lead in an 18-month effort to find potential graves of schoolchildren at the former Alberni Indian Residential School, also said interviews with survivors, historical records and other documents show 67 students died at the school.
“We need to remember that all of these students were just children,” said Tseshaht elected Chief Councillor Wahmeesh, whose English name is Ken Watts.
“They were just children. So for those of you that are not from our communities, I want you to think about that, think about what would happen today if children who were five years old were removed from their homes.
