Thousands of Kids Died in Residential Schools, Now They're Being Found

Synopsis

The search for unmarked graves of children who attended residential schools in Canada is always heartbreaking. Keisha Supernet, one of the few indigenous archaeologists in Canada, specializes in ground penetrating radar to locate these graves. In May, an indigenous community in Kamloops, British Columbia, discovered over 200 likely graves, followed by the finding of 751 more in Saskatchewan the next month. This has ignited a national reckoning and a widespread hunt for unmarked graves across various sites, including those near former hospitals. Supernet explains the meticulous process of using ground penetrating radar, comparing it to mowing a lawn to ensure every part of the ground is covered. Despite the progress, she emphasizes that no school ground has been fully searched, and thousands of graves remain to be investigated. The tragic history of these residential schools, where indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families, underscores the urgency of this work.