In the years since moving to Canada I've often heard the term Metis used in combination with Aboriginal claims or issues. What are Metis? My thinking is that they are descendants of the matings of French explorers and native women. However, is there are limit to this? If a French person today was to have a child with a native person, is this child considered Metis, or just half-native? On what ideas do Metis found their claims and demands on the Canadian people? Thanks.
You may want to order a copy of Carrying the Chalice Forward and Other Secret Stories of North America by Martin Carriere Metis Author. The definition of a Metis used by the government and service organizations is not necessarily the definition held by the traditional Metis families. Here is a copy of the Metis old family definition:
"Metis
A Metis is a blood descendant of the original Indigenous families of Turtle Island (also known as North and South America) and a blood descendant of the original allied families.
Our families are the indigenous descendants of the chief and head families engaged with trading from other nations including all the indigenous nations of North and South America. Following the introduction of European trade goods and the offers of peaceful alliances based on traditional trading practices, trade based marriages were arranged that facilitated the peaceful trading in European goods. Competition between indigenous nations over trade and territorial boundaries sped up the number of nations allying themselves through blood based marriages with the new suppliers of trade goods.Like the gypsies in Europe these families held their own hierarchy and family traditions based on indigenous models of living.
The new offspring emerged united as allies to the Indigenous Families under the identifying names such as Bois Brule, Coureur de Bois, Otipemisiwak, The Free people, Metis, Voyageurs, Norwesters, Great Plains Michif, Michif speakers, Louisianna Metis, Acadians, Cajuns, Creoles, the flower bead people, half breeds, breeds and others. We lived in our free and allied territories from one coast to the other. Following the European feudal incursions and challenges over legal land title our families united as the Metis Nation with a blue flag and white infinity symbol.
All who desire to identify as a member of the Metis Nation may do so from direct Metis descent or from allied family descent. Allied families include the Indigenous Nations - refered to alternately as North American Indians, South American Indians, Native Americans, Natives, Aboriginals etc. and families related by kinship to the original allied families.
The original allied families are those families not originally from the region of Turtle Island (North and South America ) who within the last two or more millennia joined their families as allies with the families of the Sovereign Indigenous Nations and who identify as being of Metis descent."
Best regards cousin,
Metismartin
