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Inspiring Change: Works by Elk Valley Métis
The ancestors of today’s Elk Valley Métis Nation members were the children of the unions between North American First Nations mothers and European fathers. The ancestors developed into a distinct people with a group consciousness necessary to promote their collective causes.
A Métis was not a French-Canadian, nor a Canadian, nor a Scot. Neither were they First Nations or Inuit. They created for themselves and future generations a unique culture, a group identity and declared themselves a “New Nation.” The Métis forged treaties and declared a Bill of Rights that marked this identity as a “New Nation.”
Often known as founders of the fur-trade, the Métis of what was to become the Canadian and American Northwest participated as trappers, guides, interpreters, factors, dock and warehouse workers, voyageurs, coureur de bois, canoe and York boat operators, couriers of the first postal services, and Red River cart teamsters. The Métis were essential in commercializing both the fur trade with the invention of the York boat, and the buffalo hunt with the invention of the Red River cart.
The Elk Valley Métis have been celebrating together their ancestry and culture as an organization since 1994. This year is our 20th anniversary of becoming visible in southeast B.C. Our population in the Elk Valley consists of approximately 50 registered card carrying Métis Nation members.
In the last century, families from the prairie provinces relocated to the Elk Valley. Genealogical research reveals that our Métis members are often related to each other dating back to the late 1800s and into the early 1900s. The Elk Valley Métis gather each season in every year to study our history and our family cultural connections. This includes the pieces of this display from our family collections. We would like to share our past, present and future with the community.
Our members/artists are; Beadworkers, Painters, Musicians, Hunters, Students and Collectors of Artifacts. There will be an assortment of art pieces displayed to represent all generations of Métis.
Please join the artists at their opening reception on Thursday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at The Arts Station in Fernie for refreshments. The exhibit continues until Monday, Nov. 24.
The Arts Station
