Search for lost children continues
The remains of two brothers found near the Pelican Falls First Nation High School (PFFNHS) have sparked the need for a preliminary search of the area around the school.
The brother's remains were identified as Charles and Thomas Oombash by traditional medicine man and spiritual leader Allan Oombash.
The two boys ran away from residential school in the 1950s.
The boys’ remains were taken home to Cat Lake by the Oombash family for burial ceremonies.
Besides the brothers’ remains, a number of animal bones were also discovered near PFFNHS.
The dig site across the bay from the school yielded animal remains, as determined by Dr. Katherine Gruspier of the Ontario forensic pathology service.
The findings of the boy's remains unearthed the need to bring closure for many families who still wonder what became of their relatives.
School starts for current PFFNHS students Aug. 28, and Chief Clifford Bull of Lac Seul First Nation said there is a need to search the area before school starts as well as strike up a committee to specifically deal with the lingering effects of residential school.
A preliminary search of the area is planned for August, with a much more widespread search next spring.
“The issue’s not over, and I think for us it’s more of an issue now than ever before,” said Bull.
Bull is suggesting there is a need for an extensive search of the area surrounding Pelican Falls, using advanced technology.
“We’re primarily focusing on areas where remains could be found, using the latest technology,” said Bull.
Russell Wesley was part of a group of traditional hunter-gatherers from Cat Lake First Nation that spent much of June searching for the Oombash boys’ remains.
With the help of the Frenchman’s Head 3rd Canadian Ranger patrol group, they were able to find several sites of interest.
“The Oombash family is looking at a class-action lawsuit against the church and Canada,” said Wesley. “But there are still students missing besides the two Oombash boys.”
Wesley is a nephew to the two Oombash boys, as well as a residential school survivor.
“Essentially two whole family trees have been wiped out, and nobody is doing anything about it,” said Wesley. “The sad part is there are thirteen other confirmed missing children that attended Pelican Falls Residential School.”
Wesley said he feels bothered by the fact that there does not seem to be any accountability for what went on during the residential school, in terms of missing children.
“As long as I’m healthy, I don’t think I’m going to stop searching,” said Wesley.
He said he does not think the greater community understands the devastating effects of residential school, nor does it wish to.
“It seriously affects students, even to this day,” said Wesley.
Ajay Jack, master corporal for the Frenchman’s Head ranger division was part of the initial search with the Cat Lake hunters.
“We came to this place here, it was kind of a rural area at the time because a lot of people were working on the railroad for Pelican,” said Jack at an old sulfur mine railway site.
“We scoured the area around here and started finding old remnants of bones,” Jack added.
He said the Cat Lake searchers dug up some bricks, pots and pans, essentially finding tangible evidence that there was activity in the area.
Dr. Michael Wilson, the regional supervising coroner for Thunder Bay was asked by representatives of Nishnawbe Aski Nation to come examine the sites.
“This is a very preliminary site visit,” said Wilson. “And the coroner’s office’s involvement will depend on whether or not further human remains are found.”
Meanwhile, the effects of residential school continue to linger around the school site in many ways – Norma Kejick, executive director of Northern Nishnawbe Education Council (NNEC) said that there has been “paranormal activity around this area for years.”
Kejick went on to explain that several NNEC staff members have transferred after being at PFFNHS, including her son, who was only able to stay for one year – due to paranormal activity.
“We have one employee who’s been around for 27 years, they started working in the student houses, and that’s why she transferred to a different department,” said Kejick. “She thought she was going crazy.”
Despite plans for searching for human remains in the area, rumours of paranormal activity and lingering effects of residential school, Kejick said that the school year will continue as normal.
Editor's note: This story originally reported that Dr. Katherine Gruspier of the Ontario forensic pathology service determined that human remains were found at the dig site across the bay from Pelican Falls First Nations High School. That is incorrect. Dr. Gruspier actually determined that the bones found across the bay from the school were animal remains. Wawatay News apologizes for the mistake.
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Our Oombash friend (From the
Our Oombash friend (From the outset: Traditional medicine man and Spiritual elder, didn't want his name mentioned) from Winnipeg was the one that helped us with locating of our late Charles and Tomas Oombash.
Also in the first article: The first bones were found on June 11, 2012, and not as it states, "that's when 11 bones were found, and these two locations are different locations altogether.
It's really embarrassing to see and read through all the mistakes the reports are making really, it's confusing and very hurtfulas well as shameful, defeating the purpose of why we were really out, which was that we bring our Charles and Tomas home.
The deaths of the two boys
The deaths of the two boys raises serious legal questions as any matter relating to residential schools should be. The primary purpose for the residential schools was assimilation. The secondary purpose was the proselytization of the Native population.
The most important question is who had responsibilty for these children at the time of their deaths. If the application for admission form was a part of the process for Native children to attend these residential schools in Ontario then ultimately the responsibilty lies with the school in question. The application for admission form was a docment that forced parents to release their children to school authorities. The refusal to sign such a release document had the threat of a jail sentence for those parents who refused or hesitated to do so.
At the time of the disappearance of these children, were the parents notified. I believe that failure to do so adds to that responsibilty of the school for the welfare of the children and a failure to show respect for the parents. Did this particular school handle the responsibility for the welfare of the children with utmost diligence and concern? If these two boys were sent off to school and never heard of again, then my thinking is that the school authorities didn't.
The same questions could be applied for the sexual abuse that took place in all these residential schools. And I am not focused on Pelican Falls Residential School only, I am referring to all residential schools that were in operation at the time of the disappearance of these children.
And lastly, one needs to ask this question, how did the children come to their deaths. I am sure that this is a question that lingers in the hearts of the many relatives who are alive today. And one that needs to be answered for the peace of mind and heart of these relatives.
That's what the forensic
That's what the forensic coroner said about the bones found here in Fort Albany near a barn, when the O.P.P. was the policing service. What a coindence that both discoveries would be animal remains. Is it real or is this a something more sinister by the government?
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