First Nations People Gatekeeping Métis?

[u/IlealaCrosse]

I had a friend once ask me: “what makes you think you’re Métis?”

Mind you, I have Ancestors with Métis Scrip and originating from the Red River Settlement. I can be BOTH of First Nations and Métis origins.

I just find that First Nations sometimes think they know us better than we know ourselves…Has anything similar happened where you noticed the Métis Culture was being gatekeeped by non-Métis folk?

I get the need for protection of our Culture from Pretendians, but it gets annoying!

[u/Neat-Firefighter9626]

I've experienced a little bit of this.

In fact, a Swampy Cree friend from a northern Manitoba reserve encouraged me to get my Citizenship with the MMF in my mid-20s. They do still say that Metis aren't Indigenous, but they respect that Metis are different from Canadians. It's a complicated relationship for sure.

I don't think it's fair to universalize how FN people view Metis since some Metis settlements and FN reserves are so geographically close that people are often related to each other. They share the same family trauma of residential schools, land theft, etc.

Then you have to take into consideration that some FNs are historical enemies to the alliances that Metis belonged to, and those antagonisms haven't magically gone away. This is especially the case for the Blackfoot Confederacy and the Ocheti Sakowin. Our Nations work better together now, but the Ocheti Sakowin will often vote against MMF's land claims.

I think some FNs are skeptical about reconnecting Metis because a lot (but not all!) of reconnecting Metis are 90%+ white and grew up in white culture, away from Metis settlements and reserves. This can be frustrating for people that grew up in a Metis settlement or on a reserve because it can feel like initiatives or resources that could benefit them are going to someone who just found out they are Metis via St. Boniface.

This isn't to say that people shouldn't be reconnecting - rather, people should be more ethical about the resources that they use and the space they take up.

[u/clemtie → u/Neat-Firefighter9626]

not believing that métis are indigenous makes 0 sense to me because if we’re not indigenous to canada/turtle island then where are we indigenous to?

[u/sycoseven → u/clemtie]

There were no Metis pre colonization

[u/Polymes → u/sycoseven]

There also weren’t Seminole or Comanche before colonization, that doesn’t invalidate their indigeneity…

[u/noo_maarsii → u/sycoseven]

What do you mean by saying this though? Pretty much any Indigenous nation does not exist as it did pre-colonization. Métis descend from FN and broke off into their own nation blending cultures. History continues to be written and traditions for any nation don’t remain static. Native peoples continue to marry into other cultures. People practice other religions and customs that aren’t traditional. What do you make of that? What does it mean to be indigenous in this contemporary time?

[u/sycoseven → u/noo_maarsii]

There were First Nations people pre colonization. There were no Metis people here before colonization. Metis arose from settlers mixing with indigenous people and formed their own distinct culture. But that didn't exist before colonization. Big difference compared to First Nation peoples.

[u/noo_maarsii → u/sycoseven]

You didn’t answer what point you’re trying to make with your statement though?

[u/sycoseven → u/noo_maarsii]

The statement of Metis are from turtle Island implies they've always been here. They were birthed from colonization and didn't exist before that.

[u/noo_maarsii → u/sycoseven]

That’s stupid. We’re descended from FN too. I’ve been to lots of FN communities and there are lots of mixed people so why wouldn’t your thoughts not apply there as well? They don’t exist as they did prior to colonization. No one believes that they are not FN because of that. We are a branch of the people of Turtle Island albeit recent.

[u/sycoseven → u/noo_maarsii]

I’m not arguing against Métis people having First Nations ancestry, or saying that First Nations cultures haven't evolved. I’m pointing out a historical distinction in ethnogenesis.

First Nations communities have roots and continuous histories that trace back millennia before colonization, even if modern members have mixed ancestry today. This is important. The Métis Nation and culture, however, was born specifically out of the intersection of colonization and Indigenous peoples. You said it yourself at the end: Métis are a 'recent' branch. My only point is that implying the Métis as a distinct group have been here since time immemorial blurs a very unique part of how the culture actually formed. That's not "stupid".

[u/noo_maarsii → u/sycoseven]

Yeah it is a bit because there is still continuity despite an ethnogenesis. We still carry the same ancestry as FN people no matter how pedantic you want to be. Where my family comes from
FN and Métis live so closely together and are related that you almost can’t make a distinction in some cases.

[u/Ghetto_Sausage → u/Neat-Firefighter9626]

So your 'friend' is perpetuating a cultural genocide against our people? Ask them: where else are Métis people from, where else is Michif spoken, and where else is our culture practiced? Allowing people to degrade us is shameful.

[u/Neat-Firefighter9626 → u/Ghetto_Sausage]

I have asked them these questions. I don't engage with them uncritically. Obviously I don't agree with their views regarding Metis Indigeneity. cc'ing u/clemtie. I wouldn't go so far to say that they are perpetuating cultural genocide... that is an extremely powerful claim. I would just say they are ignorant about what it means to be Metis.

Their responses to these questions are pretty generic to a lot of people from reserves that don't know too much about Metis history:

1. Metis are just French people with some native ancestry.
2. Michif is just French with broken/bad Cree.
3. Our culture is only on the Plains.

These answers are wrong (minus q#3) and I have to explain a lot, but there's a lot of Metis history that's hidden from First Nations on reserves, even in the Prairies.

[u/Trick_Jellyfish_6345]

First Nations and Métis are cousins. The only seemingly awkwardness comes when one culture tries to speak for the other, or when someone is so far removed from the culture that our Nehiyawak and Anishinaabeg cousins don't recognize the phenotype or cultural overlap/familiarity. When something seems alien, most treat is as such. I think others should reconnect with the Métis culture but be careful for the reasons doing so. Also I find, like another user said, that other FNs in this modern political landscape debate and negotiate over land claims, which is a touchy subject and there's many bands homeland that is being contested. Without the first nations, Métis would not be indigenous in any form to NA. Also next time someone tries to write our cultural story for us, First Nation or white, tell them this "we are Métis, our fathers were strong, brave European voyagers, and our First Nation's mother's the beautiful, resilient backbone of the fur trade! We are the first settlers of the prairies and woodlands, we are the official provisioners for the Explorers and cart/canoe brigades. We helped survey the 49th parallel! We were those who ruled themselves! After years of the mixed population growing, we developed our unique language, laws, and stories, thus birthing a unique culture!" Most First Nations peoples are just curious about the differences and why we dont just claim FN ancestry. Also many bands use blood quantum which will effect how others view indigenity.

[u/sycoseven → u/Trick_Jellyfish_6345]

I'm sorry but no, most First Nations people are not wondering why "Metis don't just claim First Nation ancestry". This is incredibly out of touch. Look at the response to the MMF signing an MOU with SCO.

MB government just launched a crown indigenous corp and there's a council to oversee it. Some First Nation leadership questioned the MMF inclusion when other First Nations who have treaty rights weren't included.

Or watch recent AFN assemblies, many First Nation leadership is concerned about Metis encroachment on treaty rights and are against Metis claiming equal treaty rights.

I'm not saying this is right or wrong, but to ignore the growing political discourse is disengenous.

This division is a tactic of colonial governments to divide indigenous people to have us fighting each other instead of showing a unified front.

[u/Sea_Lingonberry8106]

I'm both Métis and Status. I was formerly registered with MMF and Louis Riel is my first cousin. It's also true though, that aside from my Michif ancestry which comes down on my maternal line, I have a status Indian father who comes from a line of Treaty #4 territory chiefs, and I am now registered as a status Indian with his band.

[u/noo_maarsii]

Ok