Red River Rebellion Part 1: The Metis People

Red River Rebellion

1869-1870​

​Lesson 1:

Who are the

Metis?​

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When you imagine the Indigenous peoples of Canada...

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• What do you picture?​​​

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Poll

Did the Metis people in the video match your expectation of an Indigenous People?

Yes or no

• Yes

• No

Metis comes from the Latin word Miscere (mix) ​

THE MÉTIS

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They are a result of Scottish, Irish, and (mostly) French Fur trappers marrying Indigenous women, or simply fathering children with them.

MÉTIS ANCESTRY

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Today, the Metis people number around 600,000 and are among the three recognized groups of Indigenous Peoples of Canada.

MÉTIS TODAY

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• Had to chase after and bring in buffalo, much like​ cowboy wrangles cattle.

Skilled Riders​

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• Were experienced with hunting animals on horseback, which made them quite accurate marksmen.​

Skilled Hunters

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​The Historic Metis

Skilled Traders

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• The Metis are referred to as "The children of the fur trade."

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Multiple Choice

The Metis made a living by selling:

• Tobacco

• Guns

• Furs

• Live animals

Father's Side: Voyageurs

Father's Side: Voyageurs

• The majority of the Indigenous women were from the Cree First Nation.

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• They played a vital role in keeping and preserving food.​

They made Pemmican and ​Bannock.

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Mother's Side:

Multiple Choice

How long could pemmican be kept without going bad?

• 1-5 days

• 1-5 weeks

• 1-5 months

• 1-5 years

Open Ended

Why would the Metis be good trading partners for both Indigenous and European people?

The Metis are settled across the territory known as Rupert's Land

Things begin to change as a result of confederation in 1867.

Multiple Choice

The majority of the men working in the fur trade in Rupert's Land would have identified as:

• French

• English

Fill in the Blanks

The sash is the most recognized aspect of Metis culture. It had several important uses: It could be used to keep warm, transport belongings and to add aesthetic drip to an outfit.

MÉTIS SASH

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This flag started appearing in the early 1800s and represented a new society that had Indigenous and European heritage. The infinity symbol represented the Metis community existing forever.

MÉTIS FLAG

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The fiddle has been used in Metis songs for hundreds of years. Based on European fiddles that were expensive to buy, the Metis were able to create their own fiddles.

MÉTIS FIDDLE

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Multiple Choice

The Metis Jig dance is taken from several cultures and peoples EXCEPT

• Indigenous Peoples

• The Irish

• The Scottish

• The French

• The Spanish

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT true about the Metis Jig Dance

• It comes from many different cultures

• There are variations on the style and performance

• It is a purely European dance

Open Ended

Keeping in mind what was covered today, reflect on the following questions and provide a detailed answer:

1. What did you already know about the Metis from before?

2. What do you now know about the Metis?

3. What do you still want to know about the Metis?