Who were the Métis?

• Descendants of children whose mothers were first nations and fathers were French fur traders.

• Spoke several languages including French and Michif

• Christian (some Catholic, some Protestant)

Distinct Culture

• Well-organized• Fur trade, buffalo hunting, & farming were

the main parts of economy and culture• Pemmican- a traditional food made from

dried meat, fat, and berries (very healthy)

Distinct Culture

• Métis were distinguished by their clothing including a bright sash.

• The “red river cart” was a popular form of transportation.

A problem…..

• When Canada was forming, the big problem of the Métis was that even though they had big farms, they had no paperwork to say that they owned the land…….