Children of the Country: the Metis

Canada has three federally recognized indigenous groups, First Nations, Inuit, and Metis.  The Metis developed as an ethnic group over time, as first French and then Anglo men immigrated from Europe and formed unions with Native American women.  The word Metis (may-tee) is a cognate of the Spanish word Mestizo, which means roughly the same thing, a child born of a Native parent, usually female, and a European parent, usually male.

In the past several posts, we've met many Metis people who successfully bridged the gap between Native and White society.  Many of them remained loyal to their (usually) mother's people while being educated or maintaining contact with their Father's world.  Some attained leadership positions in their Native society.  Many married people who were like themselves, of mixed-race.  Prior to Indian Removal, there was no stigma attached to these unions or the children they produced, as long as the children were properly provided for, which they usually were.  Children of these unions were considered members of their tribes and their skills at languages and frontier survival gave them a calling card for employment along the frontier.  Over time, the Metis developed their own ethnic group, speaking dialects of French and/or indigenous languages.

Things began to change in the 19th Century, as Natives were forced onto reservations and stigma began to attach to mixed-race people.  Metis were often overlooked or excluded from land allotments, ration distribution and the like though they, too, were often forced West.  This sparked a series of Metis-led revolts, which are beyond the scope of this blog.  Only in the 20th century were the Metis finally given recognition by the Canadian government as an ethnic group.  Metis in the United States who can prove their ancestry are often attached to Native reservations here.