Four children who died at Indian boarding school being returned to families

Friday, June 15, 2018  

Four students who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania are being returned to their tribal families.

According to a notice published in the Federal Register, the U.S. Army on Thursday began disinterring the remains of 10-year-old Little Plume, also known as Hayes Vanderbilt Friday, from the Northern Arapaho Tribe; George Ell, also known as George Eli, from the Blackfeet Nation; Herbert Little Hawk, also known as Herbert J. Littlehawk, of the Oglala Sioux Tribe; and Her Pipe Woman, also known as Dora Brave Bull, of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Little Plume was supposed to have been returned to his people last summer but the grave where was thought to have been buried contained the remains of two other identified students, PennLive reported at the time. He has since been found.

"The Army's commitment remains steadfast to the four Native American families whose sacrifice is known to only a few," said Karen Durham-Aguilera, the executive director of Army National Military Cemeteries, told PennLive in a story published this week. "Our objective is to reunite the families with their children in a manner of utmost dignity and respect."

In response to Hiawatha Brown (Narragansett), Justin Buller of US Army: “At this time the Army is not aware of any mass graves on the Carlisle property” Asks tribes to inform Army of knowledge of sites. Army knows of 180 graves of Native youth who died at Carlisle #ECWS2018 pic.twitter.com/q846EezgvN

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 14, 2018

According to the U.S. Army, the cemetery at the Carlisle Barracks contains 180 documented graves. Earlier this year, a military official told tribal leaders that he is unaware of additional burials.

“At this time the Army is not aware of any mass graves on the Carlisle property,” Justin Buller, an attorney with the Army, said during the winter session of the National Congress of American Indians in February. But he asked tribes to contact the Army with knowledge of other sites.

More than 10,000 students were sent to Carlisle between 1879 and 1918, representing 140 tribes. Some came as far away as Alaska.

“We have a tribal member laid to rest there,” Rob Sanderson Jr., a leader of the Tlingit and Haida Tribes, said during NCAI's meeting in Washington, D.C.

The Carlisle Indian boarding school was in Pennsylvania but students came from as far away as Alaska. “We have a tribal member laid to rest there,” Rob Sanderson of Tlingit and Haida Tribes said. Some 180 graves of Native students are located at Carlisle. #ECWS2018 #genocide pic.twitter.com/DzPnwoosJZ

— indianz.com (@indianz) February 14, 2018

Since Carlisle Barracks is an active military site, tribal families cannot utilize the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act to reclaim their loved ones. Instead, they are following Army regulations that allow lineal descendants to request disinterment.

The Army has pledged to pay for the costs of returning any remains to their families.

The first disinterments took place last summer. Two students went home to the Northern Arapaho Tribe, based on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.

More information about the cemetery Carlisle can be found at belvoir.army.mil.

Read More on the Story:
A century after deaths, Native American kids to return home (The Associated Press June 14, 2018)
Lost remains may be found at Carlisle Barracks Post Cemetery disinterment (The Carlisle Sentinel June 13, 2018)
Remains of Northern Arapaho boy will be returned to Wyoming after a century in boarding school graveyard (The Casper Star-Tribune June 11, 2018)
Disinterment of four Carlisle Indian School students begins soon (PennLive June 11, 2018)

An Opinion:
Editorial: Little Plume's long journey home may help close a controversial chapter in America's history (PennLive June 11, 2018)

Federal Register Notice:
Notice of Intended Disinterment (May 21, 2018)

Northern Arapaho Tribe reclaims remains of students who died at Carlisle boarding school (August 14, 2017)
Department of the Army begins first removal of remains from Carlisle cemetery (August 7, 2017)
Seneca Nation sends delegation to Carlisle boarding school site (July 14, 2016)
Vi Waln: Rosebud Sioux youth lead efforts to bring relatives home (May 26, 2016)
Nearly 200 Indian children laid to rest at former boarding school (May 17, 2016)
Army pledges to pay costs of returning young relatives to tribes (May 13, 2016)
Tribes press for return of relatives buried at old boarding school (May 11, 2016)
Tribes open talks to repatriate relatives buried at boarding school (May 10, 2016)
Lakota Country Times: Rosebud youth research Carlisle relatives (February 25, 2016)
Lakota Country Times: Native youth work to bring relatives home (February 12, 2016)
Northern Arapaho Tribe seeking to repatriate remains of students (February 10, 2016)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe faces obstacles with repatriation of students (February 8, 2016)
Northern Arapaho Tribe aims to repatriate remains of students (December 17, 2015)