The Minegoziibe Anishinabe (Pine Creek First Nation) commenced an archaeological excavation, yesterday, of 14 possible locations of unmarked burials under the Catholic Church located on private lands within the boundaries of the First Nation reserve.

The excavation began with a community sunrise ceremony, the lighting of a sacred fire to burn through the entire process, and a feast. A sacred fire and public seating area was onsite in a sacred safe space near the excavation site with security on site.

Members of the public and media were welcome to attend the sacred fire to make tobacco offerings at the safe space adjacent to the excavation site. Access to points closer to the excavation site under the Church may be granted permission on a case-by-case basis.

It is anticipated that excavation of the 14 locations under the church may take up to four weeks from start to completion.

“Community members have been in planning since last fall to excavate the basement locations since the discovery of 14 possible unmarked burials under the church and 57 other suspected locations on the grounds around the church and old school site. We understand that over time burial sites may be lost to the natural elements, but to bury remains under a building suggests a dark and sinister intent that cannot be unaddressed as we expose the truth of what happened in our homeland,” stated Derek Nepinak, Chief of the Minegoziibe Anishinabe.

In 2021, following the discovery of 215 unmarked burials at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., the community of Minegoziibe Anishinabe committed to its own truth-exposing initiative.

Community spiritual leaders and Elders joined together in trauma-informed and culturally grounded engagement sessions to arrive at a plan of action to help reveal the truth of history for the benefit of future generations of Minegoziibe Anishinabe citizens.

The respectful engagement has also included reaching out to potential partners in exposing the truth, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Winnipeg, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Brandon University, the federal Special Interlocutor’s office for Missing Children and the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP).