The vandalized grave of the eight Cree and Assiniboine warriors who were executed in 1885 was cleaned and restored by a group of local volunteers June 26.
The gravesite is located next to Fort Battleford, in the river valley, but is not part of the Fort itself.
In early May 2013, the grave was desecrated - the grave stone was toppled and the tipi poles that stood over the grave were scattered about. Local First Nations were shocked at this action, and many considered this act a hate crime.
Eleanore Sunchild of Sunchild Law, one of the co-ordinators of this volunteer effort said, "Here rest not only our fellow Cree and Assiniboine People, but heroes who fought for our People."
The eight warriors were hung in a mass hanging on Nov. 27, 1885. They had been found guilty after a quick trial without the benefit of proper translators and legal defence counsel. They had been accused for their alleged part in the events of 1885 when Cree and Assiniboine, frustrated by the terms of Treaty 6 not being honoured and starvation, took part in actions that led to an unfortunate loss of lives and property at Frog Lake First Nation and the Battlefords.
The warriors were buried in an unmarked mass grave that remained unmarked until 1985 when a gravestone was properly erected with the names of the warriors and a narrative of the history of this sacred site.
RCMP are investigating.
