Western University Researchers Honored with Governor General’s Innovation Award
Two Western researchers are being recognized by Governor General Mary Simon for their work with the Canadian Archaeological Association Working Group on Unmarked Graves (CAAWGUG).
The network of 15 scholars from across the country offers training, guidance and support to Indigenous communities conducting searches for missing children. Created in the wake of the devastating announcement of unmarked graves near a former residential school in Kamloops in 2021, CAAWGUG shares anthropological expertise with Indigenous communities in hopes of passing on skills and strategies to aid in those complicated and emotional investigations.
The CAAWGUG is one of six recipients of the 2024 Governor General’s Innovation Awards, which recognizes individuals, teams and organizations with innovative projects to help shape the country’s future and inspire the next generation. The group is composed of 15 experts from 10 universities across Canada, including Western anthropology professor Lisa Hodgetts and bioarcheology lab supervisor Edward Eastaugh.
“The award recognizes our work as innovative. It’s a shift in the way we understand research,” said Hodgetts. “This research isn’t about publications. It’s about serving and supporting communities.”
The CAAWGUG was formed after the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced it had located approximately 200 unmarked graves of Indigenous children who had attended the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
It shocked the country and ignited a renewed national conversation about the horrors of Canada’s residential school system.
“It was really a moment of public reckoning where many non-Indigenous folks realized the history of the country that they live in,” Hodgetts said.
Anthropologists also worried that outside groups might try to take advantage of Indigenous communities by providing misleading advice or offering search technologies in exchange for hefty financial compensation.
“The federal and provincial government did come up with significant funding for these searches, but there was no guidance for communities. And these searches are extremely complex,” Eastaugh said.
The CAAWGUG provides direct assistance and advice to Indigenous communities in their searches for unmarked graves.
The group also developed a series of online resources including documents and dozens of videos that can be accessed for free on the Canadian Archaeological Association website. These resources provide tips and techniques for investigations to locate unmarked graves.
Governor General Innovation Awards
Governor General Mary Simon recognized a team of archeologists, including two Western researchers, during the Governor General’s Innovation Awards at Rideau Hall on May 14.
A range of methods and equipment are used to search for unknown burial sites.
Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are often used to generate maps and identify potential areas for ground searches.
Once a location is selected, ground searches will use other technologies to image what might be underground. The most common is Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), a system that uses radar technology to scan the area underneath the earth’s surface.
Instruments are rolled over an area – equipment varies from one-wheel to four-wheel models – to send electromagnetic waves from an antenna to the ground. The waves are then reflected back to allow for the visualization of soil density and compactness. That information can indicate potential burial shafts, all without causing any destruction to the land.
The CAAWGUG received funding from Western and other universities to create resources and connect with Indigenous communities.
“We are really grateful to Western which allowed us to do this. The Faculty of Social Science funding also allowed us to hire Sarah Hazell, an Indigenous archeologist who has a lot of experience in developing training resources,” Hodgetts said.
The group also collaborated with Western professors, staff and students to tap into skillsets from various fields. The map and data centre and departments of geography, earth science and history have all supported the work by providing expertise and equipment to help pinpoint possible locations of unmarked graves.
“It’s been really heartening to see the support we’ve had from all across the university,” said Eastaugh.
Another important objective of the working group is to ensure Indigenous people are empowered and supported during the difficult investigations.
Hodgetts stressed the need for Indigenous communities to control the process and all the data emerging from the searches.
“I hope we can help empower communities to take full control of these investigations so they can do the work at every step along the way, and know they have the skills and expertise.” – Western anthropology professor Lisa Hodgetts
With the help of additional training and skills, CAAWGUG also hopes communities will be able to evaluate the credentials of other private groups that might offer help and technologies for the searches.
As for the emotional toll these searches can have on those involved, Hodgetts and Eastaugh said there is strong support within Indigenous communities to help members deal with the trauma and emotions raised.
“You need that trauma-informed training,” Eastaugh said. “I am learning all the time. My experience is that communities have a strong spiritual mental health network with people there to provide assistance.”
The Governor General’s Innovation Award was presented to the group on May 14 by Governor General Mary Simon – the first Indigenous person to hold the post. Its recipients say the national recognition provides a larger platform to spread the word to other Indigenous communities about available resources and aid.
The CAAWGUG hopes its work can continue to shed light on the wrongs of Canada’s colonial past and bring some measure of healing and closure to the families and communities of the victims.
“I hope that something good might come out of all of this, with young Indigenous people learning skills that will not only help their communities heal but can take them to all types of careers or academic pursuits,” Hodgetts said.