Historic human bones found in landfill to be repatriated to First Nation – CBC

Oct 24, 2023

Remains were estimated to be between 100 to 300 years old, says forensic anthropologist

Leaders of the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation in southwestern Ontario say they want ancestral remains that were discovered last week returned to the site where they were buried near Sauble Beach, so they can be recognized and protected as a burial.

The bones of three or four people were handed over to the First Nation’s band office after a forensic anthropologist deemed they were Indigenous and more than a 100 years old.

“It’s just a reaffirmation that our people have always been here and reaffirmed everything we’ve always said to municipalities and everything around our territory,” said Chief Conrad Ritchie.

“We want to repatriate them back to where they were found and have that site registered as a burial for where our people come from and just ensuring that people know that.”

The bones were buried at a cottage by the beach but ended up at a landfill in nearby Southampton, Ont., where a resident alerted local and provincial police. An investigation on Thursday determined they were historic and not criminal in nature.

Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/saugeen-first-nation-human-bones-1.7005586