National Indigenous Peoples Day
Celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day
Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada and since it’s such a particularly special day for me and many others, I figured I would share a bit of my journey from my experience within my culture.
So, you are probably asking yourself what is and who is National Indigenous People’s Day for?
Today is not just for those who identify as Indigenous but also for those who don’t. Today is meant to celebrate the rich heritage and diversity of those who do identify in the three categories of being Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) but also the day is meant to celebrate the outstanding contributions of these persons.
Since this is something, I’m still educating myself about, I’ve decided to share a bit of back story about my family and where I come from.
If you had asked me what it meant to be Métis a couple months ago, I probably wouldn’t know what to have told you. I am partially Indigenous and partially of European descent – so mixed blood which is where the French term Métis is derived from. I have been reading and talking to elders about the history of our people but there is so much more to learn about.
Many cultures are created by the generations of people that have come before them and I am no different.
My perception and views of what it means to be Métis are probably different than some but here is what I’ve observed of my twenty-nine years on this earth.
To be Métis is to be loved unconditionally by those who are like you. We are often forgotten about and there is controversy still to this day about our rights as people but to be honest, that’s what I think made us stronger as a nation.
I never knew my Métis grandmother, Audrey - she passed on right before I was born. My mom and my aunties have fond memories of her and would share them with us occasionally when the time felt right. Every time I would hear a story about my grandmother, I would try and soak up as much of her as I can.
My grandmother was a tough lady, she was a very loving person and would give the shirt off her back. She was adopted from a young age and had a rocky upbringing but that doesn’t mean she didn’t try her best for my mom and her 7 siblings.
My grandfather (my grandmother’s husband) was also adopted, so it was somewhat a long process to get my citizenship card because of lack of paperwork due to adoption processes back in the day as well as missing paperwork from my mom’s family tree.
When I was younger my aunts would often baby sit me, and I would experience a lot of time alone with them. I like to think they are exactly like my grandmother was, kind and loving.
Wealth has never run in our family but we always made the best of things. I often remember going to my Aunt Mary’s house and although they didn’t have a lot, they didn’t need a lot. Visiting and spending time together was worth more than any amount of money. Tea was always served, we sat around the kitchen table and told stories while my aunt rolled cigarettes and shared the joys of our day and the things that ailed us. From my reading and talking with other indigenous people, story telling is one of the extremely special parts of our heritage as a lot of things were not documented back when. So, when you get the opportunity to speak with an elder, you really lean in.
I miss my aunt so much sometimes, she passed away a number of years ago, but I like to think I have some of the best memories from my childhood with her and still smile about playing tricks on her when I was younger.
Being Métis is more than following indigenous practices and European practices, it’s a kind of a feeling you have. A feeling of belonging somewhere. In my downtime I’ve been dedicating time to reading and learning more about my background and the bloodlines of my ancestors. I’ve been actively supporting other Métis people by purchasing their crafts, books and more.
I am learning as much as a I can because I would love to raise my family to learn more about the culture and to embrace the unique-ness this culture brings.
Being Métis just really reminds me of my family, we are all cut from the same cloth, and all grew up in very similar ways. If I were to recommend anything to you as a reader, I would say look into your past and embrace your roots. It can be very empowering to do so and to be honest it really has given me a sense of belonging.
Since I would love to share more with you, I’ve decided to share some of my favourite books I’ve dove into that are based on Métis stories and/or written by Métis authors;
· The Break – Katherena Vermette
· The Strangers - Katherena Vermette
· Stories of Métis Women; Tales my Kookum Told me – Bailey Oster & Marilyn Lizee
· Daughters of the Deer – Danielle Daniel
· Métis – Chris Anderson
Anyway – I appreciate you coming to my page to learn a bit more about me and my heritage!
I hope you learn more about where you come from and traditions in your family!
Cheers and Maarsii!
Markie.