Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/936360
16 M É T I S • We are more than just mixed and not just a percentage of our First Nations ancestors; we are a distinct group with our own cultural practices and traditions. • Michif is a Métis language, but depending on the region there are different dialects drawing from different First Nations and European languages. Some Métis people are not connected to Michif at all and choose to only use English and/or French while others choose to learn First Nations languages. • We are not just an association with members, we have our own nation with governments and citizens. • We are not a part of the Indian Act and so we do not have 'status' and do not live on reserves. We maintain our own registry systems that grant citizenship. • Not all Métis people's ancestry comes from the Red River; there are other historic communities across several provinces that also founded the Métis Nation. • Some Métis people live in Métis Settlements, but not all. For those who do not the term 'communities' is often used to describe where we live. • It was not until 2016 that the Métis joined First Nations and Inuit to be recognized as 'Indians' under the Canadian Constitution through the Daniels Decision. This decision had nothing to do with the Indian Act; the main outcome was that it placed responsibility on the federal government to work with our people rather than passing us off to provincial governments. • The phrase "We Are All Treaty People" largely excludes the Métis. Europeans did not want to deal with 'halfbreeds' and so even in places where we had strong relations with our First Nations relatives we were intentionally not included in treaty agreements. • There is a lack of awareness of the unique ways our ancestors had their rights stripped including the Métis Scrip process and experience as the Road Allowance Peoples. • Many Métis people (not all) can pass as white and often receive criticism that we do not look 'Indigenous enough'. This white passing ability carries privilege in many ways, however, it has also contributed to internalized racism and led many of our families to hide who they were and disconnect from community in order to survive. • Our connection to spirituality and religion vary widely within our communities including very different opinions on the role of ceremony in Métis culture. • We do not need non-Indigenous people to save us.