The keep-it-simple approach worked to wrap up Métis awareness month in November for Grades 1 and 2 students at Jack Kemp Community School
There was no need for the little ones to know Métis icon, Louis Riel was hung in 1885 for leading the Red River Rebellion from 1869-1870 as a key figure in Métis history.
“We made a presentation that would be good for all grades,” said Laurie Harris, education coordinator at Lloydminster Native Friendship Centre.
“Sometimes we leave out some details because of the grade-appropriate level.”
“It’s important that they know there’s three groups of distinct (Indigenous) people in Canada.
She says these are First Nation, Inuit and Métis.
Harris says it’s fun teaching the young students Métis culture and history.
“One of the responses when I asked who the Inuksuk was for, they told me it was Santa and his elves because I said they lived up north,” she said with a laugh.
Harris says some of the students who are Métis don’t know very much about their culture so the presentation helps with that.
“It helps those kids realize it’s okay to be Métis; they should celebrate being Métis,” she said.
Harris says her presentation on Nov. 28 brings awareness of Métis people as a nation within their own and some of their cultures, where they came from and a bit of their history.
When it comes to Riel, Harris says they don’t use the word execute or say he was hung, even with the older grades.
“The good work he did is what’s important. We’ll tell them about some of the battles and that sort of thing,” she said.
“We don’t concentrate on the negative because that doesn’t get us anywhere.”
The teaching is based on the Weaving Wicihitowin For Learning program that makes partnerships with schools to help them with their academic, cultural or mental health needs.
Harris teamed up with Nicole McCloud, a community advocate at the Friendship Centre and a status Métis person herself.
McCloud showed the class a wooden model of a Red River Cart among other Métis artifacts such as musical wooden spoons, a Métis sash and their flag.
Students learn the sash represents the strength of the Métis people woven together like their stories.
McCloud also shared her own story growing up Métis through her family in Meadow Lake.
“In 2013, I was able to apply for my treaty status through my mother so I am now treaty status,” she explained.
“It’s very important if you are Métis to reach out and get your Métis card because as one of their people, you’re entitled to education and health, things that weren’t covered before.”
“You need your Métis card to access anything like that.”
McCloud was also thrilled to see so many Métis students at Jack Kemp and she wanted them to know what happened to the Métis people.
“A lot of people don’t know the story of how they were kicked off the land they grew up on and raised families on. It was a real dark part of Métis history,” she said.
The Rebellion started after the sale of Rupert’s Land from the Hudson’s Bay Company to the Dominion of Canada and Ottawa sending land surveyors to the Red River settlement.
Riel feared the federal government would take the land and led a resistance movement. The rest is history.
“It’s important because it was the start of the Red River Rebellion. Everything started with that decision to sell Rupert’s Land,” said McCloud.
Read more: Add Riders to 3Rs at Jack Kemp
