Essay Example on Metis: Identity, Ancestry & Heritage

Introduction

Metis is a term that is used to refer to someone who is of mixed ancestry. In most cases, this term is used to refer to people or individuals who are of mixed indigenous and European ancestry (Andersen, 2015). However, having a mixed indigenous and European heritage does not make one a Metis. Identity, on the other hand, may be defined as the way that people view themselves, the way that they are viewed by the world and the characteristics that define them (Ens & Sawchuk, 2016). Metis people are observed to have different customs and ways of life as well as a distinct collective identity that is different from people with European or indigenous roots. The main aim of this paper is to discuss what Metis identity is, where the Metis people originated, their characteristics, as well as what is modern Metis identity and how it might be informed by history.

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What is Metis Identity?

Metis personality refers to how an individual distinguishes as a Metis and the traditions, beliefs, customs as well as the history that makes up this personality (Andersen, 2015). It may be viewed and understood differently by people because it is a personal experience (Peterson & Brown, 1985). It is, therefore, essential to ensure that one is familiar with the characteristics and ways of life that make different people have a Metis identity.

Where Did Metis People Originate?

Metis individuals are one of the three perceived Aboriginal people groups in Canada. The Metis Nation is seen to have mainly originated from Western Canada. The Metis people emerged in the 19th century as a political force in the Red River Settlement, and from 1885, the Canadian government politically marginalized the Metis (Ens & Sawchuk, 2016). However, things changed after decisions by the Supreme Court of Canada that required the rights of the aboriginal people to be enshrined in the Constitution of Canada.

The three provinces of Prairie were seen as the homeland of the Metis. Other parts that the Metis occupied included parts of Ontario, British Columbia, Northwest Territories as well as the Northern United States (Andersen, 2015). The Metis people are seen to have grown out of Canada's fur trade heritage. They are seen as the descendants of the French Canadians and the First Nations People. The French Canadians who mainly concentrated on fur trading were seen to marry the Native women and their offspring became known as the Metis, which meant people of mixed blood (Peterson & Brown, 1985).

The Europeans in ancient times mainly transported their goods through waterways such as lakes and seas by mainly using canoes. These canoes ensured that goods were able to reach areas that were not accessible through other means. The Europeans therefore made alliances with First Nation people who controlled the waterways and their trade (Ens & Sawchuk, 2016). The alliances ensured that the Europeans accessed services such as cooking, repair of clothes as well as healing of wounds from the Indian women. The Indian women also made snowshoes for the Europeans to travel with during winter. These interactions led to the formation of new family groupings that came from intermarriages of the French Canadians and the First Nation people.

The Red River has been mainly used as a basis of identifying the Metis people. People from the French Canadian descent and from the Cree origins could be defined as of Metis heritage not only due to their mixed heritage but also because they can be traced back to the Red River Community (Peterson & Brown, 1985). Other communities disagree bon this concept by stating that the mixed-descendant families and communities existed before the establishment of the Red River Settlement. These communities existed in the Great Lakes fur trade in the 18th and 19th century.

Characteristics of the Metis People

Culture

The Metis people had a certain way of life. The Metis people wore moccasins and the Metis red ash. They were also seen to gather to perform different activities and ceremonies. In most times, they gathered to play fiddle and dance (Andersen, 2015). They mainly danced jigs and step dances. Their culture was also characterized by the fact that they were devout Catholics who believed in the power of a supernatural being. Their culture therefore showed that they had a mixture of both the First Nations heritage as well as those of the French Canadians.

They also divided their roles and each group was supposed to perform certain tasks. The men were mostly involved in activities such as hunting of buffaloes. The women and children on the other hand were involved with skinning and cleaning the buffalo.

Ancestral language

The Metis people have an ancestral language that differentiates them from other groups. The language is commonly known as Michif (Ens & Sawchuk, 2016). The language is taught to the descendants of the Metis people to ensure that it is passed from generation to generation. It is therefore a way of ensuring that the ancestral language is preserved and passed to other generations.

History and Political Tradition

This is a very distinctive characteristic of the Metis people. The Metis people have a connected history and where they originated. Most, if not all the Metis can be traced back to the Red River Settlement and they are therefore seen to have a connected history of where they originated (Andersen, 2015). The Metis people are also seen to be protected by the Constitution of Canada through the Metis Aboriginal rights, which are aimed at protection of the Metis communities.

Connection through an Extensive Network of Kin Relations

The Metis are seen to have a very extensive network of kin relations that connects all of them (Peterson & Brown, 1985). Their connections are seen to spread throughout Canada and they mainly increase due to the intermarriages that happen with other communities.

Influences of Metis Identity

Language

The metis people, especially in Montana, North Dakota, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, mostly speak the Michif language. The language is a combination of both Cree and French, though the languages still borrow from English and some other local languages such as Ojibwe. Mostly, the metis language is the most common; however, other languages spoken include the French Michif, Brayet, and the French Cree. As such, language influence the Metis identity through unity resulting from communication and the understanding resulting from it. Besides, anyone able to speak the metis language is associate with the community as the Michif language is often regarded as mostly spoken by the metis people

Clothes

The metis group has their specific way of clothing that sets them apart from other groups in society. Traditionally, clothing for men in the metis culture was characterized mainly by clothes made by fur from moose hide or deerskin. Brimmed hats were also won, whole beaded moccasins were also worn in place of boots as footwear. Women, on the other hand, dress simpler. Their dressing was primarily drawn from the European dressing style rather than the native one (Statistics Canada, 2010). They wore long, dark-colored dresses with a high neckline. Besides, they also wore beaded moccasin. Therefore, the ability to understand the clothing style for different genders influences the Metis identity; moreover, the status is influenced by the ability to understand the various meaning of the symbols embedded in the clothes. Significantly, it helps in deciding which clothes to put on multiple occasions. Such symbols include red which represents lost lives, black to show dark times and green to represent the land in their region

Culture

The Metis people are highly observant of their culture; for instance, they gathered and ate wild plants, fishing, and other religious activities. Culture is very significant in identifying the Metis community. For example, their wear, such as moccasins and metis red ash, distinguish them from other communities. Another aspect of them is the division of role in the community that helps identify the responsibilities of both men and women

Geographical

The Metis group is a group in Canada, particularly in North Dakota, Montana, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Generally, the geographical location of the community influences their location and thereby influencing their identity. In general, these regions can be used to identify whether an individual is of Metis origin and, therefore, significantly affecting their status.

The Modern Metis and How It Draws from History

The metis people have been for long referred to as forgotten people because, until the 1980s, they lacked in the national radar (Statistics Canada, 2010). However, that changed with the constitution combined with a high number of cases helped in moving the metis people into the spotlight. In Canada, the Metis group is one of the fastest-growing demographics. The population has also spread in some parts of British Columbia and Ontario. A majority of Metis way of living is drawn from their past. The following are some of the activities that have been hugely influenced by their history.

Fishing; Historical, metis people have always been involved in fishing activities. Nearly 40 percent of the population practice fishing today (Statistics Canada, 2010). Generally, most of them do it for pleasure while a good number do it for food. All gender does fishing

Foods; The metis people today, especially those living in the rural areas, consume traditional foods, for instance, land-based animals such as caribou, buffalo, and dear. Besides, the people living in rural areas also gather wild plants for food. Such foods include berries, sweet grass, and wild rice. Therefore, the choice for meals is mainly drawn from their history by examining what was highly regarded.

Religion; The Metis community practice a combined Roman Catholic and Aboriginal spiritualism. For instance, one in five metis considers themselves to be very spiritual, while others find themselves as moderately religious. In modern society, they have drawn from their history by attending churches, taking part in pilgrimages, and maintaining the spiritualness.

Work; Another aspect of the Metis people drawn from their past is the artwork, particularly the beadwork. Metis tradition is characterized by floral beadwork, which was often set on a dark or blue ground. The European flora design hugely inspires the design of the flora. Today, the community primarily practices beadwork on jackets, bags, pouches, gloves, and pouches. The items are often traded in North America and some parts of Europe. Besides, they also practice saddle decoration.

Conclusion

The Metis is often used to refer to people or individuals of mixed ancestry, particularly the European lineage. On the other hand, the identity can be used to refer to the things that people use to define themselves of the characteristics that define them. The Metis people originated from Western Canada around the 19th Century as a political force in the Red River settlement. The group occupied the three provinces of Prairie and made it their homeland, however, the group has also moved in other parts of the world such as Ontario, Northern united states, and British Columbiana. The Metis group is highly characterized by their culture, which is marked by their clothing, such as moccasins and Metis red ash. Another characteristic is the ancestral language, which is mainly the Michif language. The group maintains the language is preserved through teaching from one generation to another. Various aspects influence the Metis identity discussed herein. Some of the influencing characteristics include culture, geographical, clothes, and language. Finally, modern metis identity is highly influenced by their history. For instance, the group...