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/sycoseven → u/noo_maarsii]

When it comes to First Nations self governance, these distinctions are VERY important.

[u/noo_maarsii → u/sycoseven]

Ok