Métis across the Homeland relied on fishing for sustenance throughout the year. Not only did fishing provide food to Métis communities, but it was also relied upon by many as an essential economic practice.  During the winter months, Métis along Northern Lake Superior had to be creative if they were going to continue fishing on the frozen lakes and waterways. One common practice was ice spearfishing. In January 1840, for instance, an ice spear fishery in Michipicoten Bay yiel

Métis communities across the Homeland have always shared a love of food. Stews and soups were and continue to be a warm, hearty meal during winter, using ingredients found within each Métis community’s place in the Homeland. One stew shared across the Homeland is Rubaboo. Rubaboo is a hearty stew or soup made from meat, vegetables, and water. The earliest record of this cultural dish dates back to the 1800s.    Traditionally, Rubaboo was made of peas or corn with bear or pork

For generations, Métis across the Homeland, including the Georgian Bay Métis Community in the Upper Great Lakes, have relied on fishing to provide sustenance. Ice fishing was a common and important way to keep Métis families and communities fed in the winter months.    An article in the Ann Arbour Register from October 12, 1893, for example, highlights the distinctive and effective ice fishing methods used by Métis in the Upper Great Lakes: “I visited Georgian bay, a part of

Métis communities across the Homeland were active in the fur trade and significant contributors to the essential ‘overwintering’ practice. Overwintering involved living and working at remote fur trade posts throughout the winter months, often with only a few other employees and companions.  While canoe brigades and seasonal traders would return to their home bases, overwinterers would continue living near and conducting commerce with First Nations trappers, trading en déroine

Métis across the Homeland love dancing and having a good time. Kitchen parties and “half breed balls” filled with music, food, and dancing are an important part of Métis culture—historically and today. These legendary parties were often reported by non-Métis visitors to communities. In 1846, for example, William Cullen Bryant, an American poet and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post, visited Sault Ste. Marie.  He wrote about the lively Métis parties and love of danc

In 1942, at the age of 94, Métis matriarch Elizabeth Longlade (née Dusome) shared stories from her remarkable life, which were captured in a Toronto Star  article. Although brief, the article recounts Elizabeth’s reflections, revealing her family’s experiences spanning both generations and geography. The article was published at the height of the Second World War. For Elizabeth, these seemingly faraway global events were deeply personal, as several of her grandchildren were a