The Métis people are a culturally distinct group in western Canada and northern US, with mixed European and Aboriginal heritage. They have their own traditions and language, and are recognized as an Aboriginal group by the Canadian government. The Métis National Council represents them in negotiations.
The Métis people are a culturally distinct group inhabiting parts of western Canada and the northern United States. The word means “mixed”, in French, and as that would imply, they have mixed blood, being the product of relationships between European explorers in North America and Aboriginal women. The lowercase “m” word is also used more generally in Canada and parts of the United States to describe people of mixed blood who are not considered members of the Métis people.
As soon as people started exploring North America, they began a cultural exchange and many explorers got into relationships with native women. The Métis people are the product of years of close association between Europeans such as the French and several aboriginal groups, including the Cree, Saulteaux, Menominee, Ojibway and Algonquin. The culture of these people is distinct, blending aspects of European and Native American culture, and members of the Métis Nation are formally recognized as an Aboriginal group under the Constitution Act by the Canadian government.
While racial mixing between explorers and Aboriginal tribes was common in many regions of the world, the amount of mixing involved with the Métis was quite significant, and the group also became known as an entirely separate entity. They also played an important role in the settlement of Canada, with Métis men and women acting as guides, working as hunters and trappers, and expanding their culture along the way.
Many of the Métis have physical characteristics that give away their mixed heritage, and their cultural traditions are also highly mixed. They have their own traditional dances, beliefs, clothing and so on, which combine aspects of European tradition with their Aboriginal heritage. Many speak a modified form of French known as Métis French or Michif, although English is also commonly used.
In 1982, the Canadian government recognized that the Métis people were a distinct group and entitled to certain protections. A year later, the nation’s representatives formed the Métis National Council, which represents the group as a collective when negotiating with the Canadian government and working in local communities.
Many people use the term “Aboriginal” when discussing Métis heritage, rather than “Native American” or “Indian,” because these terms are not widely used in Canada. “Native American” is often seen as referring specifically to Aboriginal residents of the area now known as the United States, while “Indian” refers to someone from the Indian subcontinent. People may also describe people of this heritage as being from the “First Nations,” a group of Aboriginal people formally recognized by the Canadian government. The other large aboriginal group in Canada is the Inuit.
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