Canadian First Nations tribes dismayed over unearthing of burial site

Four First Nations Indigenous tribes were in a state of grief Wednesday after ancestral remains were uncovered at a site being excavated by workers for a proposed parking lot at a nuclear plant near the Canadian city of Toronto.

"This burial site has been desecrated, and our communities are grieving " the four tribes' chiefs said in a joint Facebook post.

"This proposed parking lot is being excavated over a historic site, known as the Scugog Carrying Place, which has long been used by our ancestors and community," the statement continued.

Alderville First Nation, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation are the four tribes affected.

They said Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the contractor conducting the excavation should have known about the burial site, since it has been well-publicized.

"In this case, the property is situated in a well-known cultural heritage location that has been the subject of numerous books, articles and cultural heritage studies," the release said, but OPG broke with established protocol in digging without notifying the tribes.

"A full archaeological assessment would normally have been conducted before any ground disturbance took place," the statement said. "Our communities expect companies involved in such work to take the steps required by the Ontario Heritage Act."

Burial grounds hold profound significance for First Nations tribes. They are not merely graves but sacred spaces that connect the living with the ancestors and their cultural heritage.