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Reburial takes place at Yuquot

Article Origin

Author

Brian Tate, Raven's Eye Writer, Yuquot

Volume

6

Issue

11

Year

2003

Page 2

In 1998, a Tahsis resident called the RCMP upon his discovery of a skeleton inside a cave. The body was exhumed and transported to Simon Fraser University for tests to determine the identity and age. The skeleton turned out to be that of a 200-year-old adult male of native ancestry.

The question became, "Where should the remains be buried?" Should they be buried at Gold River, be returned to their original site of discovery, or be brought to Yuquot?

The Elders and chiefs of Mowachaht/Muchalaht had decided to have the remains placed at Yuquot.

The remains were transported by the RCMP from Simon Fraser University to the Gold River RCMP Detachment, where they were then transported to the Muchalaht Inlet government dock and transported by water taxi to Yuquot.

The remains were placed in a coffin approximately seven inches deep by 18 inches wide by 27 inches long. Local resident Wayne Lavoie carried the coffin to the gravesite, and Violet Johnson said the final prayers as the coffin was placed in its resting place.