Metis People
Metis People
Metis People
Metis people are a distinct Aboriginal people who have a very rich culture. The Metis people have their own history, language and culture. The word "Metis" comes from a French word that refers to a person of mixed heritage. In the sixteenth century, when the French started to come to Canada, this name was used to describe the heritage of children born of French fur traders who married First Nations women. Just as the first Nation people the Metis people endured hardship through residential schools, being forced off their land and their children taken away from the government. This all took place over a period of 150 years. In 1996 the last federally operated residential school in Canada closed, this school was in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Despite the hardship, Metis people are strong in heritage and their community. This strength of the Metis people has brought much healing among the families of their communities. Metis people believe through the holistic approach that the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual need to be whole and are connected. Metis people believe that life is sacred and that all life forms are connected, that everyone is equal in the circle of life. Metis people believe that everything that exists in the circle is one unity, one heart.
