Chief and Council at Tk’emlups te Secwepemc say they stand in solidarity with the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan after Thursday’s announcement that the remains of 751 children were found in unmarked graves at the Marieval Indian Residential School, east of Regina.

“We would like to openly acknowledge the horrific truth that Cowessess First Nation, survivors and intergenerational survivors of the former Marieval Indian Residential School are grappling with,” a statement from the band said. “We mourn the confirmation of the hundreds of unmarked graves in Cowessess First Nation.

“We wish to acknowledge the leadership and truth that Chief Cadmus Delorme and Cowessess Knowledge Keeper Florence Sparvier, as well as FSIN Regional Chief Bobby Cameron, showed the world this morning at their press conference.”

Similar to the discovery in Kamloops last month, the discovery in Saskatchewan came as a result of ground penetrating radar work commissioned by the Cowessess First Nation.

“We regret that we know well what Cowessess First Nation is going through, given the preliminary findings we shared with the world on May 27, 2021,” the statement from Tk’emlups te Secwepemc added. “It has been a heavy burden but one we carry with love, honour and respect for the Kamloops Indian Residential School children – who we refer to as Le Estcwéý (The Missing) that are in our caretakership.”

“As with Cowessess First Nation, for Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, this is only phase one, more investigation is needed.”

The Marieval Indian Residential School, about 160 kilometres east of Regina, was built in 1899 by Roman Catholic missionaries. It closed in 1996.

“We, too, have called upon the Pope for an apology and agree with the statement made by Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme,” the Tkemlups statement added. “An apology is but one of the many stages of the healing journey.”

“Cowessess, the people in Cowessess’s care in the unmarked graves, the families and communities affected, will be part of our prayers and ceremonies.”

The Bishops of Kamloops and Vancouver have both apologized for the Catholic Church’s role in the residential school system in Canada.

In their statement, Tk’emlups te Secwepemc says they will be making some “significant announcements” regarding Kamloops Indian Residential School in the near future. Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir says a final report on findings in Kamloops should be done before July 1.