Latest news with #MétisCulture
CBC
21-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Back to Batoche festival wraps up 55th annual gathering of Métis people
The Back to Batoche festival completed its 55th annual event on Sunday, capping off a four-day celebration of Métis art and culture in Saskatchewan. The gathering was at the site of the 1885 Battle of Batoche, about 90 kilometres north east of Saskatoon. The event is branded as the largest outdoor Indigenous gathering in the country, and featured traditional dancing, food and music, alongside a host of commemorations of the battle. "It's a beautiful day to be Métis," said Glen McCallum, president of Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S), on Friday. "But at the same time, recognizing that we have relatives, non-Indigenous and First Nations people." According to the organizers, nearly 35,000 people were expected to attend the event. The Battle of Batoche was a decisive event in Métis history. It pitted an alliance of First Nations and Métis people against the Canadian militia as part of the North-West Rebellion. The militia was victorious in the battle, which led to the capture of Métis leader Louis Riel. "The history of our lands here is such a rich history," McCallum said. "To be able to have our Métis people, our First Nations people, participating in a resistance that really should have qualified at that time that we have a right to land, we have a right to self-determination, we have a right to self governance." Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe spoke at the event on Friday, highlighting the importance of the relationship between the Métis community and the provincial government. "My visit today, on behalf of the government, and the presence of a large number of ministers, I might add, is truly a sign of this desire to move forward together, to find solutions," he said. Friday's opening ceremony included the signing of a new memorandum of understanding between Parks Canada and MN-S. Through the agreement, Parks Canada will bring 50 bison onto the Batoche land from Grasslands National Park before the end of 2025. The agreement follows a similar one made in 2023, where 25 bison were transferred from Parks Canada to MN-S. Chuckwagon races were a focal point of the festival, with about 100 racers spread over three races. About 40 chuckwagon race events take place over the course of the summer across the region, culminating in major events like Back to Batoche and the Calgary Stampede. "I don't make a ton of money off of it; it's just something I enjoy and it's a lifestyle. If I make a few extra bucks, it's a bonus," professional chuck wagon driver Calvin Fiddler said. Roslyn Smith, one of the organizers, said most people underestimate what it takes to put on the races. "There's a lot of work being put into this," she said. "You need to find volunteers for grooming, harrowing, straw feed, hay, water, and to really make sure the track is conditioned. It's about a two-week process trying to get all of that together right before Batoche."
CTV News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘To come home': Back to Batoche Days wraps up
Image shows 71-year-old Marion Gonneville in the jigging finals on Sunday. (CTV News/Stacey Hein) After four days of celebrating Métis culture and community, Back to Batoche Days wrapped up Sunday evening. Elder Norman Fleury described the festival as one big family reunion. 'We're bringing people home here,' said Fleury, a provincial elder with Métis Nation–Saskatchewan. 'This is a place to connect with your distinction, with your identity, your music, your stories, your dance, your languages.' Fleury says roughly 40,000 people attended the event to reunite and connect with their community. Back to Batoche Days features cultural music, dancing, entertainment and competitions. Many Métis artists also set up shop during the festival. Miguel Vielfaure owns Etchiboy, a Winnipeg-based business specializing in a variety of Métis items, including arrowed sashes. 'It's probably where there's the most amount of Métis people gathering in one weekend. So, for me, it's my biggest weekend of the year,' Vielfaure said. Back to Batoche Days is internationally recognized as a significant Métis cultural celebration, welcoming people from across Canada and beyond. Marion Gonneville, 71, travelled from Vancouver to attend the festival and take part in the jigging competitions. 'To come home and to be among your own people, you feel really good,' Gonneville said. Ron DesJarlais travelled 710 kilometres from Rocky Mountain House, Alta., to attend the festival for the second time. 'Everybody's just so friendly and gives you that welcome feeling,' he said.
CBC
21-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Late Michif language keeper honoured with new stamp
A woman from St. Louis, Sask., credited with sharing her knowledge of her Métis culture and Michif language with generations of students and community members over her life, is being featured on a new stamp. According to Canada Post, Sophie McDougall translated books and other materials into Michif for 20 years while serving as an elder with the Prince Albert Métis Women's Association. Michif is categorized as critically endangered by UNESCO. McDougall, who died in 2023 at the age of 94, also worked with organizations in Prince Albert to document and teach the regional dialect of Michif French. She appeared in the YouTube series Métis Women Stories in her late 80s — and later contributed to the creation of the Learn Michif French app. In 2023, McDougall received the Order of Gabriel Dumont Gold Medal in recognition of her lifetime of service to the Métis of Canada. "She was our storybook," said Angela Rancourt, a Métis educator and friend of McDougall's, in an interview with Canada Post Magazine. "She was a database of all our stories." Recalling the period before the development of the app, Rancourt said they needed to find a way for families to be connected to the language. "It was Sophie who said, 'Get it on the phone, get it on their phones!'" Rancourt said. Another friend of McDougall's, Métis researcher and educator Cindy Gaudet, said McDougall was "our kinship archives." "Everyone would go to Sophie if they needed to know something," Gaudet told Canada Post Magazine. "'Are these people related, how are we related, when did the church get moved, what was going on at that time, when was that event?'" According to Canada Post, McDougall was a descendant of the original settlers of the St. Louis area, approximately 105 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. Canada Post said the stamp features an illustration of McDougall based on a photo provided by her family. Photos of the St. Louis Parish, and the original St. Louis highway and railway bridge in her hometown, appear in the background. On a commemorative envelope that is also available, the postmark features an illustration of an old schoolhouse bell, in recognition of McDougall's years as a teacher — and the postmark location is St. Louis. Canada Post said its Indigenous Leaders series, launched in 2022, highlights the contributions of Inuit, Métis and First Nations leaders who dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It said this stamp is one of three Indigenous Leaders stamps that will be issued in time for this year's National Indigenous Peoples Day, which is this Saturday. The set is the fourth in Canada Post's multi-year Indigenous Leaders series. Last Friday, the stamp honouring Julia Haogak Ogina was celebrated in Ulukhaktok, N.W.T. On Thursday, the stamp recognizing Bruce Starlight was celebrated in Tsuut'ina Nation, Alta. Bronwyn Graves, Canada Post's director of stamp services, said it was the Métis National Council that suggested McDougall be honoured. "If you take a look at all of the honourees in this year's stamp series, there's a real focus on language preservation," Graves said. Graves said Canada Post recognizes how important it is to Indigenous communities to preserve their language as a means of preserving their stories and their traditional teachings. Canada Post hears from Canadians all the time who say they research someone featured on commemorative stamps if they aren't familiar with them, she said. Graves said that when the Donald Sutherland stamp came out in 2023, most people knew who he was, but there were a few who didn't, adding that perhaps younger generations learned about the late actor through that stamp. "Likewise, maybe people who are from very different communities, or who don't know their Indigenous history quite as well, may learn a little bit of something through these stamps about not just Sophie's life and contributions, but also the Métis community as a whole," Graves said.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Late Michif language keeper honoured with new stamp
A woman from St. Louis, Sask., credited with sharing her knowledge of her Métis culture and Michif language with generations of students and community members over her life, is being featured on a new stamp. According to Canada Post, Sophie McDougall translated books and other materials into Michif for 20 years while serving as an elder with the Prince Albert Métis Women's Association. Michif is categorized as critically endangered by UNESCO. McDougall, who died in 2023 at the age of 94, also worked with organizations in Prince Albert to document and teach the regional dialect of Michif French. She appeared in the YouTube series Métis Women Stories in her late 80s — and later contributed to the creation of the Learn Michif French app. In 2023, McDougall received the Order of Gabriel Dumont Gold Medal in recognition of her lifetime of service to the Métis of Canada. "She was our storybook," said Angela Rancourt, a Métis educator and friend of McDougall's, in an interview with Canada Post Magazine. "She was a database of all our stories." Recalling the period before the development of the app, Rancourt said they needed to find a way for families to be connected to the language. "It was Sophie who said, 'Get it on the phone, get it on their phones!'" Rancourt said. Another friend of McDougall's, Métis researcher and educator Cindy Gaudet, said McDougall was "our kinship archives." "Everyone would go to Sophie if they needed to know something," Gaudet told Canada Post Magazine. "'Are these people related, how are we related, when did the church get moved, what was going on at that time, when was that event?'" According to Canada Post, McDougall was a descendant of the original settlers of the St. Louis area, approximately 105 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. Canada Post said the stamp features an illustration of McDougall based on a photo provided by her family. Photos of the St. Louis Parish, and the original St. Louis highway and railway bridge in her hometown, appear in the background. On a commemorative envelope that is also available, the postmark features an illustration of an old schoolhouse bell, in recognition of McDougall's years as a teacher — and the postmark location is St. Louis. Canada Post said its Indigenous Leaders series, launched in 2022, highlights the contributions of Inuit, Métis and First Nations leaders who dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It said this stamp is one of three Indigenous Leaders stamps that will be issued in time for this year's National Indigenous Peoples Day, which is this Saturday. The set is the fourth in Canada Post's multi-year Indigenous Leaders series. Last Friday, the stamp honouring Julia Haogak Ogina was celebrated in Ulukhaktok, N.W.T. On Thursday, the stamp recognizing Bruce Starlight was celebrated in Tsuut'ina Nation, Alta. Bronwyn Graves, Canada Post's director of stamp services, said it was the Métis National Council that suggested McDougall be honoured. "If you take a look at all of the honourees in this year's stamp series, there's a real focus on language preservation," Graves said. Graves said Canada Post recognizes how important it is to Indigenous communities to preserve their language as a means of preserving their stories and their traditional teachings. Canada Post hears from Canadians all the time who say they research someone featured on commemorative stamps if they aren't familiar with them, she said. Graves said that when the Donald Sutherland stamp came out in 2023, most people knew who he was, but there were a few who didn't, adding that perhaps younger generations learned about the late actor through that stamp. "Likewise, maybe people who are from very different communities, or who don't know their Indigenous history quite as well, may learn a little bit of something through these stamps about not just Sophie's life and contributions, but also the Métis community as a whole," Graves said. The new stamps and collectibles will be available at and select postal outlets across Canada, starting on Friday.
CTV News
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Seine River paddle event celebrates Métis culture and history
Winnipeggers gathered on the Seine River Sunday for the second annual Rendez-Vous Revyayr Seine, a community paddle event celebrating Métis culture and history. Hosted by the Métis Historical Society, participants could 'paddle into the past' from five launch sites along the river, with routes ranging from four to 17 kilometres. Along the way, they would encounter historical Métis figures and stories brought to life by local actors on the riverbanks. 'It's our way to reconnect with nature, our heritage, the history of the river, and just enjoying being in such a beautiful river environment,' said Robert Loiselle, MLA for Saint Boniface. 'It's important to recognize who we are, where we're from and where we're going, and to connect with our roots.' Each water route led paddlers to Lagimodière-Gaboury Park, where a riverside celebration featured live music by Andrina Turenne, Métis cuisine and prizes.
