Nov. 17, 2021
Métis Week is held annually in Alberta in the week surrounding Louis Riel Day (Nov 16). Louis Riel Day is observed to remember and honour Riel’s leadership and bravery in leading the Métis people of western Canada during the Red River and North-West Resistances.
The Métis are one of three constitutionally recognized groups of Indigenous people in Canada whose ancestral roots are a combination of European and Indigenous. The Métis have a distinct culture and language as well as a shared history and many kin relations.
Louis Riel was a Métis political leader who fought tirelessly to preserve Métis rights and culture. He led the Métis people of western Canada in two resistances against the dominion, with the latter resulting in his hanging on November 16, 1885. Often referred to as the founder of the province of Manitoba, Riel is also credited with being one of the contributors of Confederation.
To prepare educators to lift this knowledge in their classrooms, the Indigenous Education Team held a learning session on October 29 titled “Beyond the Sash”. The session was led by CBE educator Preston Huppie who shared the history, strength, diversity, and rigor of Métis knowledge systems as well as provocations and resources that can support educators in deepening their own learning and the learning of their students. The session was even capped off with a jig! A recording of this session can be found on the Indigenous Education insite page (for staff).
