MKO and Sioux Valley Dakota Nation call on province to protect unmarked grave sites on private land

Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak are calling on the Manitoba government to protect a former residential school's cemetery on private land.

They want the Brandon Indian Residential School children's cemetery, which is located on a private campground near Brandon, to be designated a provincial heritage site under the Heritage Resources Act. 

An initial geographical survey in 2018 identified 56 potential grave sites at Turtle Crossing Campground, about five kilometres west of Brandon, according to Sioux Valley Chief Jennifer Bone.

"We continue to advocate. We're not giving up … you know how important it is to not only Sioux Valley Dakota Nation but to all Indigenous people throughout the country," Bone said. "The inability to access private property … where our loved ones are buried. It's a huge issue."

Sioux Valley, with political support from MKO — a political advocacy group that represents 26 First Nations in northern Manitoba — wrote to provincial ministers in May 2023 and requested the gravesite site be declared a provincial heritage site so it can be better protected.

The province needs to work with private landowners to address these issues, said Bone.

"Inaction not only results in the mistreatment of human remains and perpetuation of colonial violence, but it also pits landowners against those who seek to protect the cemeteries," she said.

In an email response to CBC News, the province said conversations have been ongoing between the City of Brandon and the property owner. The province said progress is being made to protect gravesites in the area but did not commit to protecting the one requested by Sioux Valley.

"Our government respects the rights of our treaty, Métis and Inuit partners who continue to search for unmarked graves at the Brandon Residential School, located at Turtle Crossing Campground, and honour the survivors, their families and the children who did not return from Indian Residential and Day Schools," a spokesperson said in an email.

The former Brandon Residential School opened in 1895 and operated until 1972. Sioux Valley has been searching for unmarked graves since 2012.

The First Nation owns the land where the residential school once stood and has partnered with university researchers to identify all children who died at the school. They've identified 104 potential graves in three cemeteries.

Two cemeteries have been identified near the former residential school — one at Turtle Crossing Campground and one at the Brandon Research Centre — and a third is potentially on the residential school property,

At the Turtle Crossing cemetery a fence and memorial marking were removed in the mid-2000s. Bone said the graves have been repeatedly disturbed and damaged by developers since the 1920s.

It's believed the burial site was used between 1896 and 1912. The land was taken over by the City of Brandon in the 1920s and developed into a recreational area and campground in the 1960s.

"Negotiations with the land owner and the government of Manitoba to find and protect this cemetery have been long and complicated, although our requests have been simple and straightforward," Bone said.

"Our request for support was denied, despite the Truth and Reconciliation Commission publishing their 94 calls to action."

She noted the commission's Call to Action No. 75 calls on all levels of government to protect residential school cemeteries.

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee said at least eight children who died at the Brandon Residential School are from northern First Nations. The group has been working with Sioux Valley on the residential school project for two years.

"It's inexcusable that the province has not granted protection to these sites," Settee said. "These sites should be protected with dignity and utmost respect. This has not happened."

Sioux Valley has been working to identify the communities of children that could be buried in cemeteries. Bone said the MKO partnership has been vital in connecting the communities and families.

"It is disheartening to continue to tell these communities about the vulnerable status of their ancestors in this cemetery," Bone said.

"We are worried about their well-being as each delay to protect this cemetery is devastating and brings back a lot of trauma and pain."