{"id":200,"date":"2018-01-17T22:16:25","date_gmt":"2018-01-17T22:16:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/indigenizationfoundations\/?post_type=chapter&p=200"},"modified":"2024-08-22T20:20:54","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T20:20:54","slug":"metis","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/indigenizationfoundations\/chapter\/metis\/","title":{"raw":"M\u00e9tis","rendered":"M\u00e9tis"},"content":{"raw":"In the 17th and 18th centuries, many French and Scottish men migrated to Canada to work in the fur trade with the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company or the North West Company, or as independent traders. Some had children with First Nations women and formed new communities. The French mixed families and their descendants were most often referred to as \u201cM\u00e9tis\u201d (from the French word for \u201cto mix\u201d). The Scottish mixed families and their descendants were referred to as \u201chalf-breeds.\u201d Today the term half-breed<\/em> is considered offensive and is no longer used.\r\n

Frequently asked questions about the\u00a0M\u00e9tis<\/h1>\r\n

Who are the M\u00e9tis?<\/h2>\r\nThe M\u00e9tis are one of the \u201caboriginal peoples of Canada\u201d identified in Section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982. The M\u00e9tis are people who are Indigenous and do not identify as First Nations or Inuit. The M\u00e9tis National Council defines \u201cM\u00e9tis\u201d as a person who \u201cself-identifies as M\u00e9tis, is distinct from other Indigenous peoples, is of historic M\u00e9tis Nation Ancestry and who is accepted by the M\u00e9tis Nation.\u201d\r\n\r\nChris Anderson, professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta, writes:\r\n
I\u2019m M\u00e9tis because I belong (and claim allegiance) to a set of M\u00e9tis memories, territories, and leaders who challenged and continue to challenge colonial authorities\u2019 unitary claims to land and society. What\u2019s your excuse for recognizing me \u2013 for recognizing us \u2013 in any terms other than those of the M\u00e9tis nationhood produced in these struggles?\r\n\r\n(2011)<\/blockquote>\r\n

What is the \u201cM\u00e9tis Nation\u201d?<\/h2>\r\nThe M\u00e9tis Nation comprises contemporary M\u00e9tis Citizens who descend from the historic M\u00e9tis Homeland. The M\u00e9tis National Council has represented the M\u00e9tis Nation on both the national and international stages since 1983. M\u00e9tis Nation British Columbia, M\u00e9tis Nation Alberta, M\u00e9tis Nation Saskatchewan, Manitoba M\u00e9tis Federation, and M\u00e9tis Nation of Ontario are regional governing members of the national council.\r\n

Can anyone be a M\u00e9tis Citizen?<\/h2>\r\nNo.\r\n\r\nSelf-identification is one of four criteria that each M\u00e9tis Citizen must meet to register with the Nation. This concept of M\u00e9tis identity is complicated by those who self-identify as M\u00e9tis because of their longing to belong to one of the Constitutional Aboriginal groups in Section 35 (1) but cannot claim Indian Status or assert their Inuit ancestry. Many of these individuals believe their mixed ancestry justifies their claim to be M\u00e9tis. As we have seen in the definition of who is M\u00e9tis, there are individuals who are not in turn accepted by the M\u00e9tis Nation because they have no connection to the historic M\u00e9tis Homeland and no ancestral ties are not M\u00e9tis.\r\n

What does \u201cM\u00e9tis Citizen\u201d mean?<\/span><\/h2>\r\nThe Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Powley (2003) further defined the s. 35 term of M\u00e9tis.\u00a0The Powley Story<\/a>[footnote]M\u00e9tis Nation Ontario\u2019s The Powley Story: https:\/\/www.metisnation.org\/registry\/the-powley-case\/ [\/footnote]explains the importance of this case for M\u00e9tis citizenry.\r\n\r\nThe Supreme Court further clarified the definition of M\u00e9tis, stating:\r\n
\u201cM\u00e9tis\u201d does not encompass all individuals with mixed Indian and European heritage; rather, it refers to distinctive peoples who, in addition to their mixed ancestry, developed their own customs, way of life, and recognizable group identity separate from their Indian or Inuit and European forebears. M\u00e9tis communities evolved and flourished prior to the entrenchment of European control, when the influence of European settlers and political institutions became pre-eminent.<\/blockquote>\r\nFollowing the Powley decision, M\u00e9tis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) implemented the M\u00e9tis Identification Registry<\/a>[footnote]MNBC Citizens & Culture: https:\/\/www.mnbc.ca\/citizens-community[\/footnote] in 2005.\r\n

How many M\u00e9tis are there?<\/h2>\r\nIn 2016, 587,545 people identified as M\u00e9tis, representing 32.3% of the total Indigenous population and 1.4% of the total Canadian population.\r\n

Do M\u00e9tis people pay taxes?<\/h2>\r\nM\u00e9tis Citizens are not exempt from paying Provincial Sales Tax (PST) or Goods and Services Tax (GST). M\u00e9tis people in Canada contribute over a billion dollars in taxes each year.\r\n

Do M\u00e9tis people get free post-secondary education?<\/h2>\r\n

M\u00e9tis students are not eligible for funding through the federal government\u2019s Post-Secondary Student Support program; only status First Nations and Inuit students are eligible for funding through that program.\u00a0 M\u00e9tis students in BC can apply to MNBC for post-secondary funding through the MNBC Indigenous Skills and Employment Training program, which is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada.\u00a0 Other options for M\u00e9tis students include student aid, scholarships and bursaries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

M\u00e9tis culture<\/h1>\r\nM\u00e9tis culture is very different from First Nations and Inuit cultures. The red Voyageur sash is recognized as a part of the distinct M\u00e9tis culture. It was part of the clothing worn by M\u00e9tis people every day and had many uses such as a holder, washcloth, bridle or saddle blanket. The sash is worn by M\u00e9tis people today in celebration of their culture and identity.\r\n\r\nThe M\u00e9tis flag<\/a>[footnote]M\u00e9tis flag on Wikipedia: https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Metis_Blue.svg[\/footnote] has a blue background with a white infinity symbol and depicts the joining of two cultures and the existence of a people forever.\r\n\r\nM\u00e9tis traditional clothing styles are a mixture of European and First Nation styles. The main decorating method was the flower beadwork or embroidery that the M\u00e9tis are famous for. The traditional dance of the M\u00e9tis includes the waltz Quadrille, the square dance, Drops of Brandy, the Duck Dance, la Double Gigue, and the Red River Jig, which is the most widely known of the dances. The main musical instrument of the M\u00e9tis is the fiddle, which the M\u00e9tis traditionally made from maple wood and birch bark. Unlike other traditional styles of music, the M\u00e9tis style of fiddle music is not contained in a bar structure, and this creates a bounce to the tune that is unique to the M\u00e9tis.\r\n\r\nThe M\u00e9tis were also known by many other names, including the \u201cbuffalo hunters.\u201d During the late 1700s and early 1800s, the M\u00e9tis were established as the foremost processors and suppliers of pemmican to the new world. The M\u00e9tis Nation\u2019s gross national product from this source was larger than the total revenues of other economies during that time.\r\n

M\u00e9tis language<\/h2>\r\nOne of the factors that makes the M\u00e9tis culture distinct is the creation of a language that is syncretic, meaning it is not classifiable as belonging to just one language family. Much like the double ancestry of the M\u00e9tis, the [pb_glossary id=\"895\"]Michif[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>\u00a0language\u00a0has grammatical and lexical features of both Indigenous (Cree, Dene, and Ojibwa) and French (Indo-European language). Verbs, sounds, and nouns from the Saulteaux language have also been absorbed. This creates a language that is very unique among languages around the globe, as no other languages show mixed nouns from one language and verbs from another in the manner that Michif does.\r\n

M\u00e9tis spirituality<\/h2>\r\nA common misconception is that the M\u00e9tis practised only the religion of their fathers (Catholic or Protestant). The reality is a spiritual mixture is as complex as M\u00e9tis people. M\u00e9tis children learned from both their father\u2019s and mother\u2019s religious background and traditional teachings. M\u00e9tis learned to live with both worlds, with First Nations\u2019 and Settler spiritual beliefs.\r\n

Kinship connections<\/h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_201\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"603\"]\"Diagram<\/a> Fig 1.3: Kinship Connections. Metis Nation British Columbia, 2017.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nM\u00e9tis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) is a self-governing Nation. The governance structure includes seven geographic regions and 37 M\u00e9tis chartered communities.\r\n\r\nThe Kinship Connections diagram represents seven MNBC Citizens, one from each region. Beginning in the North West (top left corner) with David Anthony Sidney Peltier, the diagram shows how each of the M\u00e9tis Citizens is directly connected to the historic M\u00e9tis Homeland through kinship connections.\r\n\r\nAll M\u00e9tis Citizens in British Columbia have this same connection. They have an understanding of who they are through the well-documented experience of their ancestors that connect them to the historic M\u00e9tis Homeland and the founders of the first M\u00e9tis Nation who had settled in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.","rendered":"

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many French and Scottish men migrated to Canada to work in the fur trade with the Hudson\u2019s Bay Company or the North West Company, or as independent traders. Some had children with First Nations women and formed new communities. The French mixed families and their descendants were most often referred to as \u201cM\u00e9tis\u201d (from the French word for \u201cto mix\u201d). The Scottish mixed families and their descendants were referred to as \u201chalf-breeds.\u201d Today the term half-breed<\/em> is considered offensive and is no longer used.<\/p>\n

Frequently asked questions about the\u00a0M\u00e9tis<\/h1>\n

Who are the M\u00e9tis?<\/h2>\n

The M\u00e9tis are one of the \u201caboriginal peoples of Canada\u201d identified in Section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982. The M\u00e9tis are people who are Indigenous and do not identify as First Nations or Inuit. The M\u00e9tis National Council defines \u201cM\u00e9tis\u201d as a person who \u201cself-identifies as M\u00e9tis, is distinct from other Indigenous peoples, is of historic M\u00e9tis Nation Ancestry and who is accepted by the M\u00e9tis Nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Anderson, professor of Native Studies at the University of Alberta, writes:<\/p>\n

I\u2019m M\u00e9tis because I belong (and claim allegiance) to a set of M\u00e9tis memories, territories, and leaders who challenged and continue to challenge colonial authorities\u2019 unitary claims to land and society. What\u2019s your excuse for recognizing me \u2013 for recognizing us \u2013 in any terms other than those of the M\u00e9tis nationhood produced in these struggles?<\/p>\n

(2011)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What is the \u201cM\u00e9tis Nation\u201d?<\/h2>\n

The M\u00e9tis Nation comprises contemporary M\u00e9tis Citizens who descend from the historic M\u00e9tis Homeland. The M\u00e9tis National Council has represented the M\u00e9tis Nation on both the national and international stages since 1983. M\u00e9tis Nation British Columbia, M\u00e9tis Nation Alberta, M\u00e9tis Nation Saskatchewan, Manitoba M\u00e9tis Federation, and M\u00e9tis Nation of Ontario are regional governing members of the national council.<\/p>\n

Can anyone be a M\u00e9tis Citizen?<\/h2>\n

No.<\/p>\n

Self-identification is one of four criteria that each M\u00e9tis Citizen must meet to register with the Nation. This concept of M\u00e9tis identity is complicated by those who self-identify as M\u00e9tis because of their longing to belong to one of the Constitutional Aboriginal groups in Section 35 (1) but cannot claim Indian Status or assert their Inuit ancestry. Many of these individuals believe their mixed ancestry justifies their claim to be M\u00e9tis. As we have seen in the definition of who is M\u00e9tis, there are individuals who are not in turn accepted by the M\u00e9tis Nation because they have no connection to the historic M\u00e9tis Homeland and no ancestral ties are not M\u00e9tis.<\/p>\n

What does \u201cM\u00e9tis Citizen\u201d mean?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Powley (2003) further defined the s. 35 term of M\u00e9tis.\u00a0The Powley Story<\/a>[1]<\/sup><\/a>explains the importance of this case for M\u00e9tis citizenry.<\/p>\n

The Supreme Court further clarified the definition of M\u00e9tis, stating:<\/p>\n

\u201cM\u00e9tis\u201d does not encompass all individuals with mixed Indian and European heritage; rather, it refers to distinctive peoples who, in addition to their mixed ancestry, developed their own customs, way of life, and recognizable group identity separate from their Indian or Inuit and European forebears. M\u00e9tis communities evolved and flourished prior to the entrenchment of European control, when the influence of European settlers and political institutions became pre-eminent.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Following the Powley decision, M\u00e9tis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) implemented the M\u00e9tis Identification Registry<\/a>[2]<\/sup><\/a> in 2005.<\/p>\n

How many M\u00e9tis are there?<\/h2>\n

In 2016, 587,545 people identified as M\u00e9tis, representing 32.3% of the total Indigenous population and 1.4% of the total Canadian population.<\/p>\n

Do M\u00e9tis people pay taxes?<\/h2>\n

M\u00e9tis Citizens are not exempt from paying Provincial Sales Tax (PST) or Goods and Services Tax (GST). M\u00e9tis people in Canada contribute over a billion dollars in taxes each year.<\/p>\n

Do M\u00e9tis people get free post-secondary education?<\/h2>\n

M\u00e9tis students are not eligible for funding through the federal government\u2019s Post-Secondary Student Support program; only status First Nations and Inuit students are eligible for funding through that program.\u00a0 M\u00e9tis students in BC can apply to MNBC for post-secondary funding through the MNBC Indigenous Skills and Employment Training program, which is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada.\u00a0 Other options for M\u00e9tis students include student aid, scholarships and bursaries.<\/p>\n

M\u00e9tis culture<\/h1>\n

M\u00e9tis culture is very different from First Nations and Inuit cultures. The red Voyageur sash is recognized as a part of the distinct M\u00e9tis culture. It was part of the clothing worn by M\u00e9tis people every day and had many uses such as a holder, washcloth, bridle or saddle blanket. The sash is worn by M\u00e9tis people today in celebration of their culture and identity.<\/p>\n

The M\u00e9tis flag<\/a>[3]<\/sup><\/a> has a blue background with a white infinity symbol and depicts the joining of two cultures and the existence of a people forever.<\/p>\n

M\u00e9tis traditional clothing styles are a mixture of European and First Nation styles. The main decorating method was the flower beadwork or embroidery that the M\u00e9tis are famous for. The traditional dance of the M\u00e9tis includes the waltz Quadrille, the square dance, Drops of Brandy, the Duck Dance, la Double Gigue, and the Red River Jig, which is the most widely known of the dances. The main musical instrument of the M\u00e9tis is the fiddle, which the M\u00e9tis traditionally made from maple wood and birch bark. Unlike other traditional styles of music, the M\u00e9tis style of fiddle music is not contained in a bar structure, and this creates a bounce to the tune that is unique to the M\u00e9tis.<\/p>\n

The M\u00e9tis were also known by many other names, including the \u201cbuffalo hunters.\u201d During the late 1700s and early 1800s, the M\u00e9tis were established as the foremost processors and suppliers of pemmican to the new world. The M\u00e9tis Nation\u2019s gross national product from this source was larger than the total revenues of other economies during that time.<\/p>\n

M\u00e9tis language<\/h2>\n

One of the factors that makes the M\u00e9tis culture distinct is the creation of a language that is syncretic, meaning it is not classifiable as belonging to just one language family. Much like the double ancestry of the M\u00e9tis, the Michif<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0language\u00a0has grammatical and lexical features of both Indigenous (Cree, Dene, and Ojibwa) and French (Indo-European language). Verbs, sounds, and nouns from the Saulteaux language have also been absorbed. This creates a language that is very unique among languages around the globe, as no other languages show mixed nouns from one language and verbs from another in the manner that Michif does.<\/p>\n

M\u00e9tis spirituality<\/h2>\n

A common misconception is that the M\u00e9tis practised only the religion of their fathers (Catholic or Protestant). The reality is a spiritual mixture is as complex as M\u00e9tis people. M\u00e9tis children learned from both their father\u2019s and mother\u2019s religious background and traditional teachings. M\u00e9tis learned to live with both worlds, with First Nations\u2019 and Settler spiritual beliefs.<\/p>\n

Kinship connections<\/h2>\n
\"Diagram<\/a>
Fig 1.3: Kinship Connections. Metis Nation British Columbia, 2017.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

M\u00e9tis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) is a self-governing Nation. The governance structure includes seven geographic regions and 37 M\u00e9tis chartered communities.<\/p>\n

The Kinship Connections diagram represents seven MNBC Citizens, one from each region. Beginning in the North West (top left corner) with David Anthony Sidney Peltier, the diagram shows how each of the M\u00e9tis Citizens is directly connected to the historic M\u00e9tis Homeland through kinship connections.<\/p>\n

All M\u00e9tis Citizens in British Columbia have this same connection. They have an understanding of who they are through the well-documented experience of their ancestors that connect them to the historic M\u00e9tis Homeland and the founders of the first M\u00e9tis Nation who had settled in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.<\/p>\n

Media Attributions<\/h2>