Marieval IRS & Cowessess Gravesite Project - DMC Media Release/Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cowessess First Nation Receives Digital Museums Canada Funding to Advance Marieval
Indian Residential School Gravesite Project

Cowessess First Nation, Treaty 4 Territory, Saskatchewan – May 15, 2025 – Cowessess First Nation
is proud to announce that it has been selected to receive funding from Digital Museums Canada
(DMC) as part of the 2024 Call for Proposals. The funding will support the development of the
Nation’s digital project, Preserving the Legacy: The Marieval IRS and Cowessess First Nation Story.

The funding will enable the creation of an accessible online story and will feature content based on
in-depth historical research conducted, as well as personal accounts gathered from community
members, former students, and individuals who worked at the Marieval Indian Residential School.
It aims to educate and inform the public while honoring the lived experiences of Cowessess First
Nation members—many of whom are Survivors or intergenerational Survivors of the residential
school system.

Since 2021, the Marieval Indian Residential School & Cowessess Gravesite Project has worked to
collect and analyze archival materials, conduct fieldwork at the site of the former school and
Marieval Parish, and gather oral histories from Survivors and community members. The DMC
funding will allow this work to be shared in a digital space—preserving powerful stories and
supporting Cowessess First Nation’s efforts in cultural and language revitalization, while advancing
reconciliation.

Digital Museums Canada, managed by the Canadian Museum of History, supports digital initiatives
that connect audiences with Canada’s diverse histories and heritage. As part of its 2024 Call for
Proposals, DMC awarded over $2 million in funding to a range of organizations, including
Cowessess First Nation, to help bring meaningful and underrepresented stories to a wider public
through digital platforms.

Marieval IRS & Cowessess Gravesite Project – DMC Media Release/Announcement

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