Finally put to rest at Rossdale cemetary site

Page 2

A solemn procession made its way through the streets of Edmonton on Aug. 28, carrying eight small caskets containing the human remains of ancestors being returned to the traditional burial grounds at Fort Edmonton cemetery in Rossdale.

In the early 1800s, residents of Fort Edmonton created a cemetery outside the fort's walls near what is now the north end of the Walterdale Bridge.

Over the past century, the site had undergone many periods of construction. When bits of bone was discovered, they were removed and placed in the care of the University of Alberta and the Medical Examiner's Office.

A number of years ago, the Rossdale power plant was being expanded and the burial site was disturbed again. This time the community response was swift and the expansion shut down. Five years of negotiation ensued, and plans to honor the dead and protect the site in the future were formulated.

Descendants of those people buried at the Rossdale site and community stakeholders planned the reburial ceremony.

University employees prepared the remains, wrapping them in cotton blankets and placing them on beds of buffalo fur.

The procession began mid- afternoon with the sound of bagpipes. People gathered behind horse-drawn wagons and walked to a site for the reburial ceremony. The Metis, First Nations and European communities were represented and witnessed as pallbearers carried the remains to grave sites selected by archaeologists to minimize the danger of disturbing other graves.

Organizers used many burial customs of times past to honor the memory of the people whose remains were re-interred. For example, it was customary for a procession to accompany caskets from the palisade walls to the burial ground or cemetery.

Duane Good Striker, a descendant of the Blackfoot interred at the site, said the re-burial was long overdue, but it was satisfying because his "people would be laid to rest again."

"Five years later and we have what I asked for," said Good Striker. "I always told my people, the Metis, the Crees and the white guys, that we have to look at the long-term picture, which is getting the people back into the ground, and finally it happened."

"I fought long and hard to get this where it is today," said Gerald Delorme, a descendant and pallbearer for the re-burial.

Delorme said the day was a good beginning, but there was more to be done. He argued that as many as 800 bodies, some of which might be War of 1812 veterans, are buried in undisclosed locations all over Edmonton.

"Today is good because we need to educate people about the importance of this area and other areas that have burial sites."

Ernie Bruno of the Papaschase First Nation, a pallbearer for the ceremony, said he is happy that his ancestors have finally been put to rest again. He was bothered by the fact that there weren't any Papaschase officials present at the event.

"I haven't seen anyone from our reserve and they should be here to represent and support us," said Bruno. "It's kind of sad because we don't have any other council members from other bands here and we should have everyone from around Treaty 6. Some of the reserves like Enoch, Paul Band, Hobbema, Samson and Alexis should be here in support of this event."

Construction will soon begin on a $1.3 million memorial park to recognize and protect the remains buried at Fort Edmonton. The opening of the site will take place in late 2005 or in early spring 2006.