Radar search finds more than 2,000 anomalies at Saskatchewan residential school site

A Saskatchewan First Nation says a ground-penetrating radar search at a former residential school has revealed more than 2,000 anomalies, while a physical search also found what is believed to be a child's jawbone fragment that is more than 100 years old.

More work needs to be done to determine what exactly the radar has found.

Star Blanket Cree Nation Chief Michael Starr was joined by ground search leader Sheldon Poitras in Lebret, Sask., on Thursday to speak of their findings, which took place at the former Lebret Indian Industrial School site.

Areas for the search were selected after testimonials from former students and elders who witnessed or heard stories of what happened at the school.

In just Phase 1, which is just the open area around the site itself, we acquired over 2,000 confirmed hits ... does that mean there's 2,000 unmarked graves? We don't think so. Because there's anomalies," Poitras said.

Now we have to come up with a strategy on how we're going to determine what's a stone, what's a piece of wood, what's gravel, or what might actually be" remains, he added.

The school opened in 1884 and closed in 1998, making it one of the last residential schools to close. The institution was also known as the Qu'Appelle, St. Paul's and Whitecalf school. It burned down and was rebuilt twice.

During his presentation, Poitras said the search also revealed the existence of underground rooms, and that local security personnel found a jawbone fragment in proximity to the site.

Poitras said the jawbone fragment was analyzed by the Saskatchewan Coroner's Office and was determined to be about 125 years old and belonging to a child between four and six. It was not found anywhere near an area that was known to be a graveyard.

That brings us back to about 1898. So this is physical evidence, physical proof, of an unmarked grave," he said.

He added those involved in the search were following cultural protocol and are seeking to confirm the existence of any remains, but not disturb them.

We have some direction from our knowledge keepers, from our elders, from the community, and that direction is if you find something, leave it be," he said.

Poitras said there are plans to continue scanning off reserve in future phases and they're currently working with landowners to obtain permission to scan on private property.

An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools over a century in Canada and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report detailed that many experienced emotional, physical, sexual and spiritual abuse.

The Lebret school often had outbreaks of disease and a high mortality rate, the commission's report found. In 1891, the Qu'Appelle school reported that since opening seven years earlier, it had discharged 174 students, 71 of whom had died.

Sharon Strongarm, a survivor of the school, held back tears as she explained how she was taken from her parents. She said she and her siblings had to learn to survive and to forgive.

They tried to take our spirits away. They tried to take the Indian out of us," she said. But thank the Creator we are back here, strong as we will ever be, helping each other."

Chief Starr called the findings unprecedented.

This discovery has changed everything. It's changed the things that we're going to do. It's changed our mindset, it's changed our way of life in a way."

During a news conference in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed Star Blanket Cree Nation, acknowledging the difficult news related to potential unmarked graves."

This work is only just beginning," Trudeau said.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help residential school survivors and their relatives suffering trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse. The number is 1-866-925-4419.

With files from The Canadian Press

Omar Mosleh is an Edmonton-based reporter for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @OmarMosleh