Our Research
The Wiikwogaming Team is committed to conducting thorough and comprehensive research to locate, and identify unmarked graves and missing children. Our team of researchers is constantly evolving, and focussing on a variety of methods to gather information. Our work is grounded in archival research to build the historical record and oral interviews with survivors of McIntosh IRS. Building on information gathered, we carry out ground searches using a multitude of techniques to reflect the complex nature and landscape of the Wiikwogaming property. The end goals are to create a comprehensive mapping of unmarked graves at Wiikwogaming and to build a comprehensive record that will assist survivors and families of survivors to better understand what happened to their relatives or friends.
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1. Archival Research
Archival and documentary research, together with oral history, is the starting point for our unmarked graves search and sets the narrative for all subsequent research. It is through analyzing the historical record that we learn about the property itself, where students at McIntosh came from, and what the conditions were at the school.
2. Oral History
Interviews with Survivors of McIntosh are key to understanding what children experienced while at McIntosh and what may have happened to students that did not return home. The information shared through oral interviews also helps us to identify areas of interest at McIntosh for more targeted research
3. Ground Search
Ground search refers to a number of different methods to search a property. To truly understand the Wiikwogamiing property, ground search will be required. We intend to focus ground search on non-invasive techniques, including visual inspections, LIDAR, ground penetrating radar etc. The complex landscape of the McIntosh property requires the use of different search techniques for accurate results.