LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Four graves have been detected behind the Nahendeh Kue building where the NWT Housing Corporation had intended to erect three duplexes.

John Dewar, regional superintendent for the NWT Housing Corporation, holds up a map of the proposed housing project, marked where the graves were discovered. To his right, Village Coun. Marie Lafferty studies the design. - April Hudson/NNSL photo

The housing project is on pause until community discussions conclude, but during a public meeting on Sept. 8 it was decided the graves would not be disturbed and at least one of the duplexes would not be constructed.

The $1.25-million housing project initially came before Fort Simpson village council in July 2014 when the housing corporation presented a proposal to develop Lot 504 behind the Nahendeh Kue building. Each duplex was intended to be around 7.5 metres wide and around 21 metres long.

Council approved a development permit on Oct. 6 and site work began this summer.

A tender went out in July for a gravel pad at the site as well as "miscellaneous site work."

John Dewar, the regional superintendent for the housing corporation, said the graves were detected at the east corner of the lot during a sonar survey of the area. One of the graves overlaps with the proposed site for one of the duplexes.

Although he could not confirm the graves contained human remains because no excavation has occurred, Dewar said the presence of human remains is suspected.

During the meeting, community leaders received a history lesson from Bob Norwegian, who told them the island is littered with graves. Some of those are mass graves that hold the dozens who died during the 1928 flu epidemic.

"There are chances these people died carrying a lot of diseases," said Norwegian, who recommended the graves be left untouched. "There is a question of exposure if you dig in there; people may get sick. I don't know what you would get exposed to for the sake of putting up a property."

Dolly Tsetso said she had spoken to elders about the graves and the consensus is that the graves not be touched. She said, future housing projects should be developed off-island due to the sheer number of unmarked graves on the island.

"The people buried on this island are not just family, they are our elders, our people," she said. "To see this happening is heart-wrenching. You can't expose those graves."

Liidlii Kue Chief Jerry Antoine suggested the housing corporation look for a new place to build the duplexes. He also suggested the community set up a monument at the grave sites to mark the area.

"In our community, when people are sharing information, it isn't hearsay. It is information that has been passed on," he said. "I'm thankful we are talking about this."

There were also suggestions that the housing corporation look at some of the properties being auctioned off by the village at the upcoming tax auction, as well as some of the vacant houses in the community that have been boarded up.

Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly suggested looking at putting a park in where the graves are but said it may not be necessary to halt development entirely.

He suggested the two duplexes that would not overlap with the graves could still be built, with the third being modified so it no longer intersects the graves.

The GNWT and housing corporation will be consulting with community leaders in future weeks to determine whether the project will be relocated or whether two of the duplexes will go ahead as planned.

Additionally, the community will be making plans to hold a ceremony to recognize the grave sites.

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