Another set of unmarked graves has been uncovered close to the site of a former residential school in B.C, Penelakut tribe reported.
At least 160 undocumented graves have been found on the Penelakut Island, also previously known as the Kuper Island, based on information provided by the Penelakut Chief, Joan Brown, on Monday.
The Island, based off Coast of Chemainus, was once home to Kuper Industrial School. The institution was Catholic funded and was in operation between 1890 and 1975. It is reported that many horrors occurred at the school.
In response to this discovery, the Penelakuts are hosting healing sessions in the next few weeks, and a March in honor of Children of Chemainus, Chief Brown said.
Based on information on the history of the Indian residential school and dialogue center website, an 1896 survey at the Kuper Island found that 107 out of 264 former students died.
Of those who died, two sisters drowned while trying to escape from the school in the 50s, while another took their own life in 1966.
Years later, an employee, Glenn Doughty, was found guilty of gross indecency, assault, and a number of sex-related crimes linked to his work at the Kuper Island and Williams Lake Schools.
