Marieval Indian Residential School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marieval Indian Residential School |
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The school in 1923
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| Location | |
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Marieval
Canada
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| Coordinates | 50°34′50.2″N 102°39′27.7″W / 50.580611°N 102.657694°W |
| Information | |
| Former names | Crooked Lake Boarding School (1899) Cowessess Boarding School (1909) Cowessess Indian Residential School (1924–1968) Cowessess Student Residence (1969) Marieval Student Residence (1969–1981) Marieval Community Education Centre & Student Residence (1977) Marieval Community Education Centre (1981–1987) Cowessess Community Education Centre (1987) Cowessess Student Residence (1997) |
| Type | Canadian Indian residential school |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Catholic |
| Opened | December 19, 1898 |
| Status | Closed (demolished) |
| Closed | June 30, 1997 |
| Authority | Catholic Church in Canada (1899–1969) Government of Canada (1969–1987) Cowessess First Nation (1987–1997) |
| Oversight | Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada |
| Grades | K–12 |
| Gender | Coed |
| Language | English, French |
The Marieval Indian Residential School was a boarding school in Canada. It was part of a system that forced Indigenous children to attend. The school was located on the Cowessess 73 reserve in Marieval, Saskatchewan. It operated for almost 100 years, from 1898 to 1997. The school was in the Qu'Appelle Valley, near Crooked Lake. It was about 24 kilometers north of Broadview.
In June 2021, a sad discovery was made at the school site. The Cowessess First Nation found 751 unmarked graves. This was the largest number of unmarked graves found at a former residential school in Canada at that time. This discovery followed similar findings at other residential schools. It brought more attention to the difficult history of these schools.
History of Marieval Residential School
The Marieval Indian Residential School opened its doors on December 19, 1898. At first, four sisters from the Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions ran the school. Later, from 1901 to 1979, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Saint-Hyacinthe took over. In its first year, the school had 14 students. It could hold up to 45 students.
The government of Canada started funding the school in 1901. They took full control of running it in 1969. In 1987, the Cowessess First Nation began to manage the school. The school finally closed on June 30, 1997. The building was torn down in 1999. A new day school was built in its place.
The most students at the school were in the 1962–1963 school year. There were 148 students living there and 89 day students. Students were often not allowed to visit their families. For many years, they could only see their parents on Sundays. This rule changed in 1933, but visits were still rare.
When students arrived, their hair was cut. Each student was given a number instead of being called by their name. Staff expected students to follow all rules very strictly.
Discovery of Unmarked Graves
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada studied residential schools. In 2015, they reported that many student deaths were not recorded. They created a register to list students who died at these schools. This register is still being completed. In 2019, the government provided money to help find and record more names.
The cemetery at Marieval was used before the school was built. It started in 1885. It holds the remains of both children and adults. By 2021, many graves had lost their markers or headstones. An archbishop explained that some headstones were removed in the 1960s. This happened after a disagreement between a priest and a local First Nations chief.
In May 2021, the Cowessess First Nation began searching the school grounds. They used ground-penetrating radar with help from Saskatchewan Polytechnic. This technology helps find things buried underground. The search started on May 31, 2021. It was expanded several times based on stories from elders. Elders said that bodies might be buried beyond the school grounds.
On June 23, 2021, the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves was announced. The next day, the total was confirmed as 751. This was a much larger number than previous discoveries. The search covered a large area. Each "hit" on the radar could mean one or more bodies. It is important to know that the cemetery also contains people from the community. So, not all 751 graves are confirmed to be residential school students. However, experts believe at least 600 are likely actual graves. The headstones were removed by the Catholic Church in the 1960s.
By October 8, 2021, Cowessess had identified about 300 of the 751 likely gravesites. They used records from the RCMP, the Catholic Church, and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. They also listened to stories from community members.
Reactions to the Discoveries
Many people and leaders reacted to the news. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe shared his support for the families. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his heart ached for Indigenous communities. He stressed the need to learn from this history.
Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, called the discovery "absolutely tragic." Bobby Cameron, chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, said it was a "crime against humanity." He explained that residential schools were like "concentration camps" for Indigenous children. Donald Bolen, the archbishop of Regina, apologized for the church's role. He promised to help provide information.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the findings were "Canada's responsibility." He offered his sympathy. However, Marion Buller, chief commissioner for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, asked for "concrete action" instead of just words. New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh urged the government to follow all 94 recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
After the discoveries at Marieval and Kamloops, many communities changed their Canada Day plans in 2021. Some cancelled celebrations to allow time for reflection. The CN Tower in Toronto was lit orange to support Indigenous communities.
Some Catholic churches in western Canada were damaged or destroyed by fire. These incidents were considered suspicious by authorities. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, who ran the Marieval school, promised to release all their historical documents.
