Métis History 101: The Basics. **Sorry if the photos and text change too quickly! Everyone reads at a different pace and it's hard to fit it all in one 5 minute or so video so I tried to guess how much time would be needed to read approximately based on myself** The Métis people have an interesting and rich history. Please save all commentary and questions until you finish watching the video. I address a lot of the things you may think of to say/ask in the video. If your comment/question is not addressed in the video, I'm happy to answer, otherwise, you'll either be ignored or told to watch the video before you comment. Note: This is only a very brief introduction to Métis people and Métis history. It is by no means a complete history, there are more events than those listed in this video. The events listed in here are the ones I felt most significant for a basic understanding of Métis history. There are few details with each event as I cannot begin to explain every event in detail for a 5 minute video. If you want to know more, you will need to look into the matter yourself. -Since Time Immemorial, First Nations and Inuit have lived in North America (Turtle Island), they have practiced their cultures for a very long time and have rich cultures and traditions. There are more than 500 different nations in North America (Turtle Island) alone. -In the 10th century, Vikings came over to North America and settled, they did not stay long, however. Evidence shows that some did intermarry and that there was brief relations with Indigenous peoples and Vikings (oral history, the viking sagas, DNA evidence and archaeology) -Iberian fishermen fished and traded with Indigenous peoples off the coasts of North America during the centuries after the Vikings and prior to explorers settling on the continent. Some intermarriages did occur according to some evidence (DNA evidence and some oral histories) -Explorers began to explore and attempt to settle the area in the late 15th century, though they did not meet much success. It was not until the 17th century with Champlain that the French began to settle in the lands known as Canada today. Champlain set up various settlements, such as Quebec city in the early 17th century. Champlain strongly encouraged for Frenchmen and Native women to marry and for their people to become one new people. - Intermarriages occured and the biracial children of European and Natives (often European men and Native women, usually Frenchmen, but not limited to, and often Mi'kmaq, Cree and Ojibwe, but not limited to - it depended highly on the particular region and time period) were being called a variety of names. "Métis", " Métissage", "Sauvage/Sauvagesse", "Chicot", "Bois Brûlé" "Otimpemsuak" - again, region and language dependant. Many of these children were raised biculturally, and they would pass this onto their children. Some assimilated into French (or another European nation) culture, and others into their First Nation mother (usually mother)'s culture, some however, developed a sense of uniqueness and did not assimilate either way. Small communities often formed, some multicultural, others Métis specific. The Fur trade began in the 1600s in Eastern Canada and continously moved Westwards with time. The further West it went, the more Métis were born and the more communities sprang up. - 1755, The Acadian Deporation. Many Métis on the east coast were forced to assimilate or else they travelled west. Many were also deported. Few retained their Métis cultural practices, but some did. - 1814, The Pemmican War occured. Cuthbert Grant led the Métis to victory at the battle of seven oaks. - 1870, the Red River Rebellion/Resistance. Métis in Red River took a stand against the Canadian government, the provisional government of Manitoba formed and Louis Riel was a leader of the resistance. - 1885, Northwest Rebellion occured, Riel helped in this as well. He was later executed by the Canadian government on the 16th of November 1885. Louis Riel day is now held on the 16th of November. - Between 1885 and 1982 was the dark period for the Métis people. - In 1982, Métis were recognized as an Aboriginal people with the Constitution Act. - In 2003, the Powley case established the Powley test to determine Métis Aboriginal rights, specifically for hunting and fishing. - In 2013, The Daniels Decision outlined that Métis people are legally Indian and are thus a federal responsibility. We Métis are a proud people! Song: Peuple Métis, by: Jean Marc Philippe Duval. I do not own the music or the photos.

• published: 01 Feb 2014
• views: 3