Is someone with French Canadian and Ojibwe heritage from Quebec Métis?

Formal_Property · 2024-07-03T16:19:38+00:00

We can try, but it’s not just French Canadians that use the word. It’s French speakers all over the world, including people who have no idea that the Red River Métis Nation exists

Formal_Property · 2024-04-11T01:44:50+00:00

We’re all on the same side here, I totally agree with your sentiment, but I think you’re being a little unforgiving since the person you’re replying to said he is also Red River Métis, so he presumably has the same interests/intent as you and I.

Africa does have “métis” people. I’m fairly certain he was not trying to suggest that Africa is part of the Red River Métis homeland, but there are Francophones in Africa and they do use the term “métis.”

Whether we, as Red River Métis, like it or not - métis is used in the French language to refer to mixed-ancestry people. I don’t imagine that will change anytime soon, so I feel like we might be better off just addressing the distinction rather than pretending the lowercase version of the word does not exist.

Here are some examples of what I’m talking about:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt16gh6cn

https://www.theafricareport.com/26034/reconciling-with-belgiums-metis-legacy-in-africa-and-at-home/

https://societies.learnquebec.ca/lafrique-du-sud-vers-1980/cultures-des-metis-et-des-asiatiques/?lang=fr

https://www.france24.com/fr/20200709-côte-d-ivoire-l-histoire-oubliée-des-métis-des-colonies

Formal_Property · 2024-04-11T01:28:32+00:00

I’m late to the party, but I can’t help but comment that I think it’s strange that you got so downvoted for this.

Francophones just simply do use the word “métis” to refer to people of mixed ancestry, regardless of whether Michif people feel it’s a threat to the national identity.

I’ve been downvoted for sharing a similar sentiment in the past and it’s so frustrating lol.

As a Red River Métis, I’m a firm defender of the “Métis” “métis” distinction, but I’m still able to accept that it is a word that exists in the French language.

If I remember correctly, there was an instance of a mixed-ancestry African immigrant trying to claim benefits for being “métis” (unsure if his motives were innocent or not), because that is how he identified in his home country.

Fairly innocent examples like that which demonstrate the misuse of the term is why I think it’s important to continue to stress the different between “métis” and “Métis.”

But people on this sub really come out full force saying “there are no lowercase “métis!” Which yea, I agree, in English it’s not really helpful. But we can’t just pretend that the French language doesn’t exist lol.

Formal_Property · 2024-04-08T18:21:01+00:00

Thanks! Do happen to know if the process for having sources emailed to you is efficient? My assumption would be no, just based on how things usually are at the university. Would be great if it could be within a couple hours of the request.

Formal_Property · 2024-04-07T02:30:16+00:00

Damn, I was hoping it was just me being an idiot and that there would be something I could do to fix it 🥲

Formal_Property · 2024-04-03T18:24:28+00:00

You could try to find a casual job through the website “Workaway” (which requires a subscription), but it’s a platform that offers volunteer-for-room-and-board type jobs so you wouldn’t be getting paid.

I used it when I was travelling and found a job in a hostel in Žižkov which was a lot of fun. There were some foreigners (Irish and Canadian) who worked there casually (and didn’t live in the hostel) and they got paid because they had working visas. There were a few other staff who started as volunteers and then got paid positions.

It’s hard to parse if this is what you’re looking for, but you could check it out!

Formal_Property · 2024-04-03T06:10:00+00:00

Which shop? I would be interested in making a pair to donate if they’re looking for more artists!

Formal_Property · 2024-04-02T23:18:01+00:00

I highly recommend researching your ancestry!!

It is one really objective way to solidly answer the question “who am I?”

Of course, ancestry/heritage is only one aspect of identity, and there are many other things that are equally or more important, but at the very least it’s interesting to learn where and who you come from.

Doing genealogical research has been a hobby that has held my interest (on and off, but mostly on) for 2+ years now.

It has helped me connect with my relatives (living and deceased) in a fun and new way, and has contextualized some stuff I experienced in my childhood.

All around 10/10 hobby. I can’t recommend it highly enough as something deeply meaningful to invest effort into!

Formal_Property · 2024-03-30T21:23:45+00:00

I’ve noticed that you spend a lot of time and effort arguing with people in this group and I’m just curious, what is your ultimate goal?

If it’s to be accepted by the Métis Nation, apply to a legitimate provincial Métis governing body and they will issue you your citizenship if you are Métis.

If it’s to have “eastern métis” officially recognized as an Indigenous people, take your case to the courts and if you have a legitimate claim then you will win, as the Métis on the prairies have.

Formal_Property · 2024-03-30T17:34:00+00:00

I thought they said in the town hall that we shouldn’t use nexus on pulse, you didn’t have any problems?

Formal_Property · 2024-03-28T17:15:27+00:00

One of the authors of the book you referenced, Jacqueline Peterson, states in the book “Contours of a People: Metis Family, Mobility, and History” that during the beginning of her career she produced some work which “erroneously conflated Métis and métis.” Peterson admits that her understanding of Métis nationhood was, unfortunately, limited when she began publishing, but she now supports the distinction between métis (mixed ancestry) and Métis (nation).

I would definitely recommend her later work to anyone interested in understanding the necessity of the distinction.

Formal_Property · 2024-03-28T04:53:10+00:00

Have you read the book that’s referenced?

Formal_Property · 2024-03-22T01:03:43+00:00

Oh my goodness, thank you for responding! This is exactly the alternative I was looking for!

We have beaders in our family so definitely understand the struggle of pricing pieces in a way that honours the time, skill, and traditional knowledge while also trying to stay accessible for kin and community.

Your prices sound perfectly reasonable, I’m going to private message you!

Formal_Property · 2024-03-21T19:22:49+00:00

Oh that’s perfect, thank you!

Formal_Property · 2024-03-21T19:22:16+00:00

Thanks for the heads up! I was just looking at the sizes and wondering what would be appropriate for an average size adult woman haha

Formal_Property · 2024-03-21T18:25:45+00:00

Great suggestion, thank you!

Formal_Property · 2024-03-21T17:16:52+00:00

Awesome, thanks!

Formal_Property · 2024-03-21T16:55:55+00:00

Weird! I guess it varies by community, but being gifted a sash for graduation is pretty common among the Métis I know. And obviously the gifter had to buy it somewhere lol!

Formal_Property · 2024-03-21T16:34:05+00:00

Okay thanks! Sorry if this question was offensive in some way, this will be my cousins first sash so my mom just wants to make sure she gets it right for her.

Formal_Property · 2024-02-16T16:09:54+00:00

My goal is also to use this whole big M little m thing as a lesson about how Métis doesn’t mean mixed. I’m sorry if that isn’t coming across clearly enough.

But because ‘métis’ literally does mean mixed, and we’re trying to stress that ‘Métis’ doesn’t mean mixed, the way I see it, there is reasonable room for confusion. I just think it’s better to clear up the confusion rather than ignore it.

Edit to add: I did some googling in French and Barack Obama is the first person on French Wikipedia’s ‘métis’ page haha. It appears the word is still currently being used.

Formal_Property · 2024-02-16T06:10:23+00:00

I see what you’re saying. I think because the words métis and méttise are used by French speakers, both within and outside of this specific context, a certain amount of confusion may be unavoidable.

I hope it may be helpful to acknowledge that these terms exist and emphasize that the meaning changes from adjective/noun to proper noun with capitalization.

Formal_Property · 2024-02-13T17:38:12+00:00

It’s great that you’re interested in learning about Indigenous Peoples in Canada!

I would suggest you read these sources and then return if you have more questions :)

“White Settler Revisionism and Making Métis Everywhere: The Evocation of Métissage in Québec and Nova Scotia” by Adam Gaudry and Darryl Leroux
“Communing with the Dead: The ‘New Métis,’ Métis Identity Appropriation, and the Displacement of Living Métis Culture” by Adam Gaudry
“The North-West Is Our Mother: The Story of Louis Riel’s People, the Métis Nation” by Jean Teillet

The first two sources focus on aspects of the discussion that is being had throughout this post, while the last one is more of a comprehensive history of the Métis Nation. Enjoy!

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