This is the actual report done by Dr. Scott Hamilton, from the Dept. of Anthropology, in Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario. Dr. Hamilton did the study. Here’s the introduction. Click on the link to read the entire report. It’s important to know the history and see the facts about what happened.
Introduction
This report addresses the question where deceased Indian Residential School (IRS)
students are buried. This is difficult to answer because of the varying circumstances of
death and burial, coupled with the generally sparse information about Residential School
cemeteries. It requires a historic understanding of school operations that contextualizes
the patterns underlying death and burial. When documentation is insufficient, this
historical perspective also aids prediction which former school sites are most likely to be
associated with cemeteries. Also important is identifying the locations of the former
schools as precisely as possible (an issue complicated by the fact that some schools were
rebuilt in various locations under the same name), and then seeking out physical evidence
of a nearby cemetery (or cemeteries). In some cases information is readily available, but
in others there was little to be found in the available archival documents. In those
situations attention shifted to an internet-based search, coupled with examination of maps
and satellite images. This report concludes with recommendations how to address the
gaps in our current knowledge about school cemeteries, and how best to document,
commemorate and protect them.
This report represents a collective effort. Alexandra Maass initiated the research by
gathering information from disparate sources, and preparing reports for schools with a
reported cemetery. Scott Hamilton authored this report with input from Doug Smith.
Hamilton built upon Maass’ work by developing a historical interpretative context,
documenting the location and condition of Residential School sites, and searching for
evidence of cemeteries in maps and satellite imagery. The satellite imagery derives from
either Google Earth™ or Birdseye™, the latter through a Garmin™ subscription service.
This imagery is internet-based and available Canada-wide. Downloadable imagery of
sufficient quality is a relatively recent phenomenon, and is not yet of uniformly good
2
quality throughout the country. That being said, much of it was of surprisingly good
quality, with resolution of 2-5 metres or better. This allowed ready visual interpretation
of larger ground features, and also cost-effective examination of school grounds located
throughout Canada. Once the area of interest has been identified, a more comprehensive
examination is possible by purchasing higher resolution satellite imagery from
commercial vendors. Hamilton’s work focused on the surviving documents, and did not
involve contact with First Nations, churches that operated the schools, or municipalities
within which the schools are now located. As addressed more fully in the
recommendations section, building upon this foundation with locally based research
initiatives are the obvious next steps.
In effect, this report offers an overview and ‘gap analysis’ to suggest where further
research is required. It is divided into two parts. The first part (represented by this report)
is a general overview, with specific schools used to illustrate key issues associated with
IRS cemeteries. The second document is a more substantive resource that summarizes
each school’s location and construction sequence, duration of operation, and reported
cemeteries. It includes maps, sketches, photos and satellite images, detailing the former
school properties in as much detail as is currently possible. It also identifies ‘information
voids’ where we either do not presently know the school location, or have not been able
to identify a cemetery. This evaluation of current knowledge should be used as a starting
point for seeking local knowledge to confirm or correct it, and as a catalyst for dialogue
how to protect and maintain IRS cemeteries with their many marked and unmarked
graves.
https://nctr.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/AAA-Hamilton-cemetery-FInal.pdf