In one corner of historic on Saturday, visitors were taking unsteady aim with bows and arrows at targets from behind a roped-off safety zone, while in another, Joseph Smith was rolling out bannock 鈥渨ith a bang鈥� for frying outdoors, and indoors, Shelby Desjarlias, president of the was reading stories for young people.
Waceya was one of who came together to celebrate Louis Riel Day and M茅tis culture at the Fort at .
The event also featured music, dancing , a blacksmithing demonstration, historical lecture, M茅tis artifacts and artisans demonstrating finger weaving and moccasin making.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just out here to inform and introduce ourselves to the community and allow people to take pride in their heritage, to take pride in their culture,鈥� Desjarlais said.
Desjarlais said census figures suggest there are thousands of people in the 91原创s who self-identify as M茅tis, but only a few hundred who are members of M茅tis associations.
He鈥檚 hoping events like Louis Riel Day will encourage such people to investigated their history.
鈥淚f you know where you came from, and you know your past, and your background, it makes it easier to relate to other people.鈥�
Riel is remembered as a M茅tis leader, who led two popular M茅tis governments, was central in bringing Manitoba into Confederation, and was executed for high treason for his role in the 1885 rebellion against Canadian encroachment on M茅tis lands.
He was initially dismissed as a rebel by Canadian historians, but that view has changed and many now see him as a charismatic leader who fought to protect his people.
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, 鈥淢茅tis are people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry, and one of the three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada.鈥�
The M茅tis National Council (MNC) defines the M茅tis homeland as the three Prairie provinces and parts of Ontario, B.C., the Northwest Territories and the northern United States.
Members of the M茅tis Nation have a common culture, ancestral language (Michif), history and political tradition, and are connected through an extensive network of kin relations.
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Earlier this month, M茅tis and provincial government representatives met at the B.C. legislature, to proclaim Louis Riel Day in B.C. and celebrate the contribution of M茅tis people to B.C.
Deputy Premier Carole James, who is M茅tis, joined the president of M茅tis Nation BC, Clara Morin Dal Col, and representatives from M茅tis communities to watch the M茅tis flag raised in a sunrise ceremony.
鈥淚 am proud of my M茅tis heritage and I was moved to watch the flag rise in front of the people鈥檚 house,鈥� James said. 鈥淭he flag-raising is a symbol of the importance of the M茅tis people and culture and our commitment to work together to make life better for M茅tis people across British Columbia.鈥�
Riel was a political leader and champion of M茅tis rights and culture, and has also been described as the father of Manitoba. He was executed by the Canadian government in 1885, following the Riel rebellion on the prairies.
The 2016 census shows that B.C. is home to nearly 90,000 self-identified M茅tis people, an increase of nearly 30,000 since 2006.
More information can be found at the M茅tis B.C. Nation website at .
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- with files from Black Press
dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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