Culture, Heritage & Language

Métis culture and nationhood are rooted in intermarriages and other social connections between European and First Nations peoples during the early North American fur trade period. During the 1600s and 1700s, fur traders who came to North America from France, Scotland, England, and other parts of Europe often married First Nations women. These relationships were not only crucial for establishing trade networks, but they were also essential for survival. First Nations women possessed invaluable knowledge of the land, as well as skills in areas like food preparation, shelter-building, and navigating the natural environment—skills that European fur traders relied upon.

These marriages resulted in families and communities of mixed Indigenous ancestry. Over time, the children of these marriages grew up and often married other people of mixed heritage. Eventually, through a process called ethnogenesis, a unique Indigenous culture emerged. A rich and distinct culture with its own languages, history, kinship networks, traditions, communities, and identity. Métis communities emerged in the lands now known as B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and the Northwest Territories, as well as in Montana, North Dakota, and Idaho.

The term Métis does not encompass all individuals with mixed Aboriginal and European heritage. Instead, it refers to a distinctive people who developed their own worldview, customs, way of life, and recognizable group identity that is separate from their First Nations or European forebears.

Métis people have been an important part of what is now British Columbia for generations. The first documented Métis in BC arrived in the late 1700s, working as guides for expeditions to explore the land west of the Rockies. Among them were François Beaulieu, Jean Baptiste Boucher, Jacques Finlay, and Charlotte Small, some of the earliest recorded Métis individuals in the region.  

As the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company expanded their operations, they established fur trading forts throughout the province. Métis men from across the Homeland began moving west, seeing employment with these companies. Even after the fur trade declined in the late 1800s, Métis families continued to move to BC, where they helped to shape the province that we know today.

Métis people contributed significantly to the social, economic, and cultural life of British Columbia in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Métis traders helped establish and operate fur trading posts that were integral to BC’s economic development, and they supported the movement of imported goods across the province.  Many Métis held prominent political positions, and they helped to shape B.C.’s government and legislature. Métis communities and individuals also contributed to the province's cultural life by creating works of art, writing books, and participating in social organizations. 

Some notable Métis figures who made an impact on B.C. include:

• Joseph William McKay – founded the city of Nanaimo
• Lady Amelia Douglas – the first lady of British Columbia
• Martha Douglas – the first woman born in B.C. to be a published author
• James W. Douglas – a B.C. Member of the Legislative Assembly
• Sophie Morigeau – one of the few documented women to work as a free trader

You can explore more about the history and legacy of Métis people in British Columbia by visiting the virtual version of the Amelia Douglas Institute’s exhibition Prairies to Pacific.

Métis women played an essential role in the fur trade, and they were frequently married to Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company employees. Their close involvement with the fur trade meant they often had access to several European trade goods, including glass beads. Métis women combined the techniques of First Nations quillwork with the techniques and patterns of European embroidery to create a distinct style of floral beadwork. They used this colourful and elaborate floral beadwork to decorate moccasins, clothing, bags, accessories, and even household items. Because of this, the Métis are sometimes referred to as the ‘Flower Beadwork People.’

Today, beadwork is practiced by many Métis artists. While it is still used to decorate traditional items such as moccasins, clothing, and bags, it is also used to create modern items, like earrings or broaches. Traditional floral beadwork continues to serve as a source of inspiration for many contemporary Métis artists who practice in other mediums.

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Learn more about Métis beadwork: 
The Flower Beadwork People

Preserving Metis Material Culture: Behind the Scenes at Parks Canada

Many Métis consider the Métis sash to be a visual symbol of Métis identity, pride, and heritage. Early finger woven sashes were known as une ceinture fléchée (or Enn sayncheur flayshii in Southern Michif), meaning “arrow belt” because of the patterns used in the weaving process. Early sashes were also called l’assumption sashes because of their connection to weavers in L’assumption, Quebec.

The sash was not just a decorative item. It was used for many practical purposes, such as:

• Holding the coat closed or the pants up
• Muffler or scarf
• Sling, bandage or tourniquet
• Washcloth
• Bridle/saddle blanket
• Trail marker or sewing kit (by removing the threads at the end of the sash)
• Pocket
• Back support when holding heavy objects
• A rope (useful to portage canoes)
• Identifying one’s kill in a buffalo hunt
• As a calendar system (threads were used to mark days on the trapline)

The practicality and versatility of the sash made it popular across Canada. Due to the demand for sashes, the Hudson’s Bay Company began mass-producing loom-woven sashes in Coventry, England. These sashes, which were an interpretation of the arrow sash, became known as Coventry sashes because of where they were produced. This style of sash became increasingly associated with the Métis identity, nationalism, and pride. They remained widely used until the early 1900s when the decline of the fur trade and colonization efforts of the Canadian government made them less popular. 

In modern times, the sash has experienced a resurgence, and it is once again seen as a powerful symbol of Métis heritage and culture. Most contemporary sashes are loom woven, and they are inspired by the Coventry sashes of the HBC. 

The sash is typically worn wrapped around the waist for men or over the shoulder for women. Today the sash is often worn as ceremonial dress to honour people for achievements and recognize membership in a Métis community.

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Learn more about the Métis sash

Traditional Métis clothing combined the dress of fur traders with First Nations styles in a uniquely Métis way. The most distinct feature of Métis clothing was the abundance of decoration. Even everyday items would often be elaborately adorned with beadwork, quillwork, buttons, shells, ribbons, feathers, embroidery, painting, and tufted hair.

Typical clothing for Métis men included pants, a button-up shirt, and a sash. Sashes could be used as a belt for pants or to keep a jacket closed. Several types of jackets were worn at different times of the year. One of the most popular was a capote, a long, hooded coat made from wool trade blankets. Capotes were carefully crafted from a single blanket, and they produced minimal material waste. Different types of buckskin jackets were also common among Métis men.

Many Métis women preferred to wear practical clothing that was suitable for life on the land. This included dark-coloured dresses and skirts made from easy to care for fabrics like calico cotton. The full, long skirts and corsets that were popular in Victorian and Edwardian settler society restricted the movement of the person wearing them. While some Métis women chose to wear European-style dresses, many preferred dresses and skirts that were ankle length, and many did not wear corsets. Shawls were popular for outerwear for women, and layers of shawls could be added for warmth during the winter.

Traditionally, men and women wore moccasins made of animal hide. Moccasins kept feet warm and dry in all kinds of weather conditions, and their practicality and versatility made them a necessity for life across North America. Styles of moccasins varied depending on location, weather, and kinship networks. Some popular styles among the Métis include pointed toe, pucker toe, dance slippers, and plains hard sole moccasins. 

Although contemporary materials are often used today, traditional items like moccasins, velvet or buckskin vests, buckskin jackets, shawls, and ribbon shirts and skirts are common attire at Métis cultural gatherings. Contemporary Métis cultural dress also includes modern items that reflect Métis history and identity, such as beaded jewelry and t-shirts with Métis-themed designs.

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Music and dance are central to Métis culture. They help to bring communities and families together, serve as a way to pass on traditional knowledge and stories, and are a powerful way for Métis people to celebrate their history and identity. 

Métis are best known for their distinctive fiddle music, which is usually up-tempo and accompanied by lively traditional dance like jigging. Much like the many other aspects of Métis culture, Métis music is a unique blend of influences, drawing from Irish, British, and French folk traditions, as well as the rhythmic structures of First Nations music. 

Fiddles were small and lightweight, which made them easy for the semi-nomadic Métis to transport as they moved throughout their territory. Commercial fiddles were expensive during the fur trade era, so many Métis people made their own from local wood such as maple and birch. 

Historically, music would have been present in many aspects of daily Métis life, and it played an essential role in the social life of communities. Informal dances were held regularly in many communities, often in homes or in communal outdoor spaces. Everyone was welcome at these social events, and fiddle music could sometimes be heard long into the night. 

Today, music continues to be an essential part of Métis identity, and no Métis cultural gathering would feel complete without some lively fiddle music.  

Fiddle music is frequently accompanied by Métis traditional dances like jigs. Métis jigging is an energetic dance style with fancy footwork influenced by Scottish highland, Celtic, and First Nations dancing. The Red River Jig is one of the most popular and well-known Métis dances. 

History of The Metis Jig Dance

The Métis Fiddle

Métis Rhythms

The Métis flag is the oldest flag indigenous to Canada, and it predates the maple leaf by over 150 years. The flag depicts a white infinity symbol in the middle of a blue or red flag. The red Métis flag has been documented as appearing as early as 1815, and the blue Métis flag in 1816. The Métis flag symbolizes Métis identity, and flying the flag demonstrates Métis pride.

There are many explanations as to the meaning and origin of the infinity symbol. Some believe that the infinity symbolizes the joining of two cultures. Another interpretation of the infinity symbol is that it represents the strength of the Métis Nation, which will continue forever.

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The Red River cart is an example of Métis ingenuity and adaptability. It was an essential means of transporting goods during the fur trade, and it was a crucial part of the buffalo hunts. Red River carts were made entirely from wood and leather, which made them very lightweight. This was ideal for moving through the rough terrain of the Prairies and crossing the many rivers that cut across Métis territory and trade routes. The design of the Red River Cart meant that they could be easily repaired whenever needed using locally available trees. Red River carts were also highly versatile and could be disassembled to make shelters, temporary rafts for crossing water, a sleigh in the wintertime, and other tools. Horses or oxen could haul several carts that were tied together.

Red River carts are an important part of Métis culture as well as of the history of early Manitoba. Proudly presented on various Métis flags and logos, the Red River cart represents the craftsmanship and entrepreneurial spirit of the Métis people. Red River carts can still be displayed at various museums, parks and cultural centres across the country.

Red River Carts

Métis Minute – Red River Carts

Our Ministry, along with other Ministries in MNBC, is currently working on developing Michif resources and initiatives to support Michif language learners and speakers. Below are some of the learning resources and initiatives we are working on:

This directory is for all Métis artists, performers, cultural facilitators, and knowledge carriers in British Columbia. MNBC will use this database to connect with and inform Métis artists, performers, cultural facilitators and knowledge carriers of our Ministry’s programs and connect them with opportunities and resources.

Sign up to be included in the directory

This application-based program aims to highlight and promote Métis artists practicing traditional and contemporary Métis art in British Columbia. Visit the Amelia Douglas Institute website to explore profiles of Métis in BC Artist Collective members and learn more about Métis artists practicing in your community. If you are a Métis artist working in traditional and contemporary Métis art, you can apply for the Collective by clicking the button below.

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Stay tuned for information about our next workshop series!

These virtual workshops explore many diverse and vibrant aspects of Métis culture, heritage, and art. They are an opportunity for citizens to deepen their cultural knowledge, learn new cultural skills, and connect with their community. Every month, we will be hosting sessions featuring a wide variety of Métis artists, scholars, makers, and Elders who will share insights on various aspects of Métis cultural life. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate and learn about your Métis heritage! 

Visit the following to learn more and register for upcoming workshops: 

MNBC Events Calendar

Ministry of Culture, Heritage and Language | Eventbrite