Deninu Kųę́ First Nation Chief Louis Balsillie accompanied the process, escorting the small wooden caskets of Denise Boucher and Alice Abel by plane to Łutselkʼe. After arrival, the caskets were transported by road to a graveyard along the Snowdrift River, where separate burial ceremonies were conducted for each girl.
Authorities and community members described the event as a solemn moment of remembrance and reconciliation for the families and the wider community. The repatriation follows ongoing efforts in Canada to return the remains of Indigenous children who died at residential schools to their home communities, allowing loved ones to honor their memories in familiar surroundings.
Details regarding the ages of the girls or the exact dates of their deaths were not provided in the brief release, but the ceremony was treated with dignity by local leaders and residents who gathered for the burials.
The repatriation took place amid broader national attention to the legacy of residential schools and Indigenous reconciliation. Community representatives emphasized the importance of acknowledging past harms while supporting healing for those affected by the schools’ legacy.
Officials have historically coordinated with Indigenous communities to facilitate the return of remains where possible, often involving ceremonies tailored to local customs and traditions. The two funerals in Łutselkʼe mark one more instance of communities seeking closure through personal acts of remembrance.
Further updates from Łutselkʼe and related Indigenous organizations are expected as families continue to cope with the losses and as the wider process of repatriation and commemorative actions progresses across the country.