The Nevada Indian commission believes the Stewart Indian School in Carson City had more than 20 thousand Native American children pass through its doors. They also suffered atrocities by the hands of those who wished to eliminate their culture... But that could only be scratching the surface.
"The major concern is we need to know who these students were, if they are our ancestors, and how we make sure that they are put back into the earth in a proper way and honor them," said Amber Torres, Chairman of Walker River Tribe.
“Who was here, how many students were here, how many children were brought here, how many died here and where their remains are buried," said Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak.
The Stewart Indian School is just one 're-education sites' that were established across the county…bringing thousands of Native American children against their will from over 200 tribes in an effort to assimilate the kids, and erase their heritage.
"My grandmother went to school here where it was horrible, they beat the children for speaking their native tongue, they brushed their skin because it was too dark," said Torres.
After the revelations of student's bodies on Indian school property in Canada, Elders are now curious if the same type of atrocities happened here in Carson City, and Governor Sisolak is pledging to help in that endeavor.
“There is some ground penetrating sonar radar that we can use to determine what's here,” said Governor Sisolak. "On behalf of the state, I want to make an apology. This policy was abhorrent, and we need to make amends."
“There's not a Paiute, a Shoshone, or Washoe person in this state who doesn’t have a direct connection to this campus," said Stacey Montooth, Executive Director for the Nevada Indian Commission.
Joseph Sam of the Paiute tribe attended the school in the 40's, well before the school was finally shut down in 1980, and says while things did improve as years went by, his father who attended the same school ran away several times. “There's a lot of things that have happened in the past, it's going to be hard to overcome, but hopefully something will happen."
The federal boarding school initiative will be investigating and consulting with tribal nations across the country, as well as Alaska Native Corporations and Native Hawaiian Organizations, and will submit a final written report to the secretary of interior by April first of 2022.
