Applied Anthropologist Profile: Toni Morrison, Forensic Archaeologist and Cillini Researcher

 

Toni Morrison stands in the Milltown Cemetery (Photo by Charles McQuillan of NBC News)

 

From the early 1900s to the 1990s Irish cultural norms, which were tightly wrapped around strict Catholic doctrine, fostered an environment where dead unbaptized children were hastily buried and “forgotten” about.  They were interred in simple coffins, often fashioned out of shoe boxes, small cardboard boxes, or cloth sacks, and left in unmarked graves, known as cillini (or “little churches”) in Irish, never to be spoken or thought about again.  Toni Morrison, a forensic archaeologist, has taken it upon herself to research and locate these cillini and the associated burials of those not completely forgotten at the behest of family members desperately seeking closure.

 

Toni Morrison pursued her undergraduate degree in anthropology at Queen’s University in Belfast in the early 2000s.  Coming in as a mature or “untraditional” student it was her personal experiences that drew her to a project that one of her professors suggested she pursue.  The project focused on identifying unmarked burial grounds throughout Northern Ireland.  At that point only 11 had been recorded, but due to Morrison’s hard work within a few months the count was closer to 100. 

 

While working on her master’s degree the Milltown Cemetery controversy happened.  The Catholic Church sold off the unmarked burial section of the cemetery, where soldiers, those lost to the Spanish flu, and unbaptized babies were interred, and the public outcry against the sale was monumental.  The Church quickly reversed the sale and promised to allow the grounds to be surveyed.  Morrison received permission to complete some of that work, and through archival research and archaeological geophysicalsurvey she was able to locate several lost but never forgotten children.

 

As a result of this project she has found additional work locating other cillini, as well as advocating for the preservation of the Bessborough Unwed Mother’s Home.  The city sold the land for redevelopment, partially to wipe away the stain of what happened while the institution was open.  It was reported that around 300 children and two mothers had died there, but further research showed that the number of infants who died was actually double.  Many were taken from their mothers in the middle of the night and buried in secret.  Most of the mothers never knew this and were instead told that their children had been adopted out and were living happily with new families.  When it was discovered years later that was not the case the mothers demanded answers and to be reunited with their children’s burials.  Morrison’s research uncovered a map of a potential burial ground on the property and cursory aerial and geophysical surveys suggest that the location may be legitimate.  Morrison has since implored the local and national government to open a wider investigation to locate the cillini and preserve it out of respect for the deceased and their families.

 

Morrison also dedicates her time to be contracted by law enforcement agencies for forensic archaeological work.  She has aided in several investigations, locating victims of crimes and aiding in the swift resolution of criminal investigations.  Ultimately, her passion lies in aiding Northern Irish families be reunited with their lost loved ones, and she continues to work in all realms that help make a difference and secure justice for those wanting it.

 

References

Crummy, M. (2016, April 29). Buried babies garden search: Cops won’t have any problem finding remains, expert reveals. The Irish Sun.

Morrison, T. (2019, March 25). HAS TONI MAGUIRE LOCATED THE 600+ BESSBOROUGH BABIES? (F. Dunne, Interviewer)

O'Brien, S. (2021, April 9). Northern Irish archaeologist dedicated to identifying unmarked baby’s graves. Irish Central.

Symington, M. (2021, April 8). Northern Ireland's hidden history: Archaeologist works to identify unmarked mass graves. NBC News.