The Métis
Diversity
"We are Métis, with roots and rights that extend
9,000 years into this continent. We are neither First Nations
nor Inuit, nor are we European immigrants to this land. Instead,
we are the middle-ground between camps; the compromise between
differences and the dawn that separates night and day. We are not
half-breeds, but the children born of a marriage between two
very different worlds.... To be Métis is to be blessed
with the best fruit of not one, but two family trees. We are not
"half" of anything, but doubled. Being twice blessed, we
are likewise proud, strong and determined."
- Terry St. Amant, The Georgian Bay Métis Council of
the Métis Nation of Ontario Web site
Métis people from
different parts of Canada and the United States expressed their
identities in
decorative arts and
clothing.
In the 1800s, design ideas were exchanged between the Great Lakes and
Red River Métis, the Eastern Woods Cree, and the various
Aboriginal peoples of the Plains, and the Dene of the Northwest
Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Métis
also used design elements from French and British objects and
clothing.
Brent Potskin Jr. dancing on stage at the Edmonton Heritage Days
Festival, Edmonton, Alberta, August 5, 2001, photograph by
Morgan Baillargeon
Canadian Museum of Civilization, K2001-1169
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Métis decorative and clothing
styles changed steadily
through the 1800s and the twentieth century. Vibrant, colourful
floral embroidery dominated Métis textile arts in the
1800s. By the mid-1900s, styles and materials had changed. The
"old trade goods" obtained from Hudson's Bay Company
stores were no longer available. In spite of widespread poverty,
Métis women continued to make distinctive clothing.
Métis creativity is still a vibrant force in the twenty-first century.
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Sash, Métis, 1875
Linen
Canadian Museum of Civilization, III-X-385, CD96-002-036
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Assomption Sash - The Assomption sash
is perhaps the most widely recognized and best-known symbol of
Métis culture. Some woven Assomption sashes were made in
Quebec and were a popular trade item for Hudson's Bay and
Northwest Company voyageurs and traders, as well as for the
Métis. The sash was valued for its attractive appearance,
practicality and versatility. It could serve as a temporary
tumpline, as a covering in cool weather, as a rope, or an
emergency bridle and saddle blanket. Today, the sash continues
to be an integral part of Métis culture and is a symbol
of pride and identification. "The Order of the Sash" is
given to members of the Métis community who have made
significant contributions to their people.
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(left) Mittens
Red River Métis
About 1840
Deer or caribou skin, porcupine quills and sinew
Canadian Museum of Civilization, V-Z-1 a,b, CD94-335-048
(center) Coat
Great Lakes Métis
Early 1800s
Moosehide, horsehair, porcupine quills, natural pigment, glue, dye and sinew
Canadian Museum of Civilization, III-X-229, CD2001-140-005
(right) Panel bag
Cree-Métis
1800-1850
Wool, animal hide, glass beads, cotton, wool yarn, sinew and cotton thread
Canadian Museum of Civilization, III-Z-1, CD2001-139-009
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