As I started writing for the content for this website I was drawn to start therapy with an Indigenous psychologist from the Turtle Island reservation. She is of Cree/Ojibwa/Métis decent and practices a psychological discipline known as depth psychology. This form of therapy has no goal other than to reconnect us with our authentic selves. In an early session with her, She said "Once we return to the total being that we actually are everything else in our lives just falls into place".
My name is Brad Mix, Red River Métis, and closing in on seventy years of age and starting to think that if I don’t start sharing what I’ve learned through my years of extensive family research, personal struggle and reflection, and a few hard knocks, it will all go with me to the grave, along side the many other untold Métis stories that death has snatched irretrievably away from us.
I apologize in advance for the blatant name dropping that follows, but I think it helps to recognize the contributions of my family on behalf of the Métis people to contextualize my perspectives and opinions.
I was born in the Icelandic village of Gimli, Manitoba on the shore of lake Winnipeg, New Years Eve, 1954. I am the first born (only) son of Joan Delores Smith, daughter of Josephine Sauve - the daughter of Charles Sauve (who along with Louis Lavallée, was sent by the Métis National Committee to retrieve the remains of Louis Riel after his execution for leading the Métis' North West Resistance in 1885). Josephine was also the God Daughter of Joseph Riel (the younger brother of Louis Riel who stepped into the role of spiritual touchstone for the Métis cause after Louis' death). Josephine was the daughter of Julie Lariviere and the granddaughter of Arsinoe Nault a first cousin of Louis Riel and sister of the hero of Batoche Napoleon Nault and Amable Nault both Veterans who fought along side Louis Riel during the North West Resistance. Josephine was also entrusted with the safe keeping of Louis Riel's, spiritually focused, Batoche Journal from 1932 to the late 1960's. And lastly, Josephine was my Grandmother, and the person most trusted and responsible for raising me during my early years in the United States.
First of all, I feel that if you are of mixed race it is important to know something about Metis culture and the individual that organized and lead the fight for indigenous rights in the newly formed Canada of the 1870s and 1880s..
So, who was Louis Riel? Why did he have such a profound impact on Canadian history, culture and the Metis people as a whole?
Well to start, Louis Riel lead two of the most significant Indigenous resistance efforts in Canadian history. The first was the armed (13 month long) Red River Resistance of 1869, that resulted in a negotiated settlement with the first Canadian Prime Minister John A. McDonald, and played a role in the creation of Manitoba, an indigenous conceived province of Canada. The second was the armed conflicts of the Northwest Resistance of 1885, which resulted in the defeat of the Metis forces at Batoche and the trial of Louis Riel on charges of treason that culminated in his execution on November 16th, 1885.
The above absurdly short introduction to the subject of Mr. Riel is common knowledge and available in full historical detail in a number of books and publications, but as I have already stated, I would like to contribute a family's perspective derived from what has been passed down through the writings of my Great Grandfather, Charles Sauve and through the oral tradition of story telling practiced by my Mother Joan D. Smith and Grandmother Josephine Sauve. My hope is that our contribution is viewed as respectful and thought provoking and will add another wrinkle to the Riel story that will help humanize, and broaden the understanding of his story and it's far reaching impact into the present day.
I have my personal opinions on the subject of Louis Riel's role in transforming the culturally "loose" customs and ideas of the Metis into an awakened national identity capable of forcing the Canadian Government into negotiating terms. What I share comes from a family history of generations that have been deeply impacted by the familial nature of our association with Louis Riel. I'm not saying my family can provide a "scoop" that could be somehow construed to be the "true story of Louis Riel", but I do believe that what my family has to contribute is insight into the thinking and experience of a Métis family that was part of the network of Red River Métis Clans that actively supported Louis Riel in his struggle for Indigenous rights as well as the significance and lasting influence of Riel's leadership and accomplishments.
In the near future I will be posting a page exclusively dedicated to the subject of Louis Riel.
Mandela became an honorary Métis during his visit to Ottawa on September 24, 1998, when he was presented with a Métis sash by the late Métis Senator John B. Boucher. Boucher had the privilege of wrapping the sash around Mandela’s waist and presenting Mandela with a honorary Métis name “Diamant”, which means Diamond in French. Mandela wore the sash proudly for the remainder of the day, even during his induction into the Order of Canada.
A distinctive honour, the Métis sash is given to special people as a symbol of honor, pride and respect. Mandela’s struggle for justice and equality holds deep meaning to the Métis. His courage and selflessness serves as an example of excellence to the world. READ MORE - https://www.metisnation.org/news/mno-remembers-nelson-mandela-an-honourary-metis/
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