Insights into Métis history
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- Опубликовано: 11 июл 2022
- This video was made to provide insights into the Métis people and their contributions to British Columbia.
Western and Northern Canada had a unique political environment for 200 years. The Hudson's Bay Company was the legal government according to King Charles II Charter. Parliament tried several times to overturn the Charter and open the vast territory to settlement but it failed. It was only in 1858 when the West Coast statutory grant expired and finally in 1870 with the purchase by Canada that settlement could proceed.
But during those intervening years, the collision of the industrializing great Britain with the hunter gatherer societies of Canada created the need for a new people that was an indigenous response to the changing needs. The ethnogenesis of this people often manifested with race people. HBC prevented its employees from becoming settlers by requiring them to return to Montreal after their contracts to get paid.
They developed new cultural norms like holding land individually and excelling in communications and technology. They developed hybrid languages like Michif and Chinook Jargon.
Métis people were a significant presence on the West Coast before the creation of British Columbia before 1858 and before the province joined confederation in 1871.
KUMTUKS is a video blog that shares knowledge and explores new narratives especially related to British Columbia. Some quotes and descriptors have been adjusted for clarity and brevity. Please subscribe if you would like to be notified of new videos. If you would like to receive commentary and invitations and support more videos / kumtuks .
SAM SULLIVAN narrates this video. He is a Member of the Order of Canada, a former Mayor of Vancouver and Cabinet Minister responsible for Cities, Culture and Transit, a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia.
Hayu masi for the awesome video! I am Chinook metis on my fathers side and Red River Cree metis on my mothers. I descend from Hudsons Bay Company employees on both sides. I am very proud of my unique cultural heritage and very excited to be able to learn so much from you guys today. I am originally from the village of Tokeland near the Shoalwater Bay Reservation where I am currently employed in the tribes cultural department. I will make sure to share your channel to everyone out here! Will be looking forward to some more videos.
You have a very interesting pedigree with a name Sinclair no less. We hope you have documented your family history. This is very important history your family has lived!
No such thing as Chinook Metis. You'd be known simply as Chinook to that nation.
Cherokee, Choctaw, Cree, French and Irish here. I get bullied sometimes for being a half breed native
A GOOD VIDEO - informative and succinct.
So good I wait for new ones
This was one of the best videos I've seen that explain the origin of the Red River Metis.
We're happy you enjoyed it!
I grew up in "British Columbia", and had I think a way above average education into the history of the province, i.e. visits to Fort Langley, Fort Steele, Barkerville, and more. However, I never knew what "British Columbia" meant until seeing your videos. The standard narrative about the history of the province excludes the concept of "Columbia", perhaps out of some misguided sense of Canadian nationalism. Which makes the name nonsensical. I actually remember an educator at Fort Langley saying they called the area "British Columbia" because another suggested name, "New Caledonia", was seen as over-used. The idea that BC is the "British" portion of "Columbia" gives the name a whole new sense, and links us to the land's pre-settler colonial history.
One question I have for you is whether you see any relationship between the concept of "Columbia" and the "Cascadia" movement? The actual borders of Columbia and the bio-regionally based boundaries of Cascadia are quite similar. And perhaps more than that, since the Cascadia movement expresses a desire for a place-based identity that is not tied to the US or Canadian state projects, without necessarily being a "serious" separatist movement.
The North West Company used the name New Caledonia for the northern area administered from Fort St James and Columbia for the southern area administered from Fort George/Astoria. The Hudson's Bay Company amalgamated both and administered this from Fort Vancouver. With the 1846 border treaty they reverted to using the New Caledonia name until 1858 when they called it 'British' Columbia' to distinguish it from the 'US' Columbia.
For several decades the Columbia territory was 'governed' as one entity and its language Chinook Jargon spread throughout. It developed a distinctive culture heavily influenced by the French/Métis values with the same boundaries as what we now call Cascadia. It is quite likely that this sense that Cascadia has an identifiable underlying deep culture is a result of this history.
Can you do a video on ned mcgowan's war?
I am Cowlitz, hi!
There is only one Metis Nation within Canada. It's the same nation that took Canada to task for full inclusion as a recognized Indigenous nation. Note that word, "nation". Not plural, not a category, it is a nation of a uniquie and distinct history. It was borne on the western prairies. Fur traders and trappers abounded across Canada, but not all became a part of the Metis Nation.
All the other mixed ancestries in Canada are known as non-status First Nations.
Are you Metis?
I understand you and am very interested, but do you think then that other communities that also underwent a process of ethnogenesis and developed distinct identities over the process of the fur trade in British Columbia, developing a mixed language called Chinook wawa based on Chinook, French, and other indigenous languages. Do you think that such Metis communities that also underwent a process of ethnogesis should use a different name perhaps? Or what about a series of Metis individuals from the Red River go out west and settle a new community and incorporate others into it--is it still Metis if cultural variation and development are undertaken? I'm thinking of the early Metis communities of Fort Chipewyan in Northern Alberta, since it's very beginning the Metis have been a part of that community and have done a big part to make it what it is. Those 2 questions I believe are quite relevant, and would love to hear your thoughts!
Louis Riel was PRESIDENT OF Red River Metis Nation in B..c. I would think you'd have a non status fight of some sort ...Metis Nation were Bison 🦬 Hunters ...
Correct! He said some truthful things but forgot to mention that there is only ONE Métis Nation-- and that is the Red River Métis.
If one's roots arn't linked to Red River then they arn't Métis.
@@Hadouken365 But.. cant they use another brand of name, like Mutis nation? Chinock
I am metis and i had no idea that HBO controlled western canada and forbade settlers - that must be the origins of the word "squatters" aka settlers illegally moving onto indigenous land. Now i understand why Metis have had such a strong relationship with the company. very interesting to see how this part of history has been covered up, to make it look like canada was always controlled by canadian government.
I am glad that the settlers times and conquest days are over. Now we all can live like equals.
Your tag line is a little off. Natives in Canada are called first Nations not native Americans
There are no Métis in Nunavut never met one all the half Inuit are considered Inuk no matter what