Abenaki burial sites looted on Bishop’s campus

By Gordon Lambie
Local Journalism Initiative

The Tribal Council of the Abenaki bands of Odanak and Wôlinak issued a statement on Tuesday morning denouncing acts of looting that were recently discovered during a visit to the Bishop’s University campus in Lennoxville.
“The people of the W8banaki Nation of Odanak are deeply concerned about this situation,” said community leader Rick O’Bomsawin. “We are shocked and disheartened by these offensive acts. At a time when we are called to heal our ancestral history and narratives, we must con-tinue to suffer violation and a continuous disrespect. Our connection to our ancestors is an es-sential part of the healing and reconciliation process of our nations.”
According to Joanie Rancour, communications agent with the Grand Conseil de la Nation Wa-ban-Aki, the discovery was made during a visit to the site on the Bishop’s campus by an arche-ologist tasked by the council with checking on the erosion levels of archaeological and cultural sites located along the Saint-Francis River.
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