Fort William, on the north shore of Lake Superior, became an important gathering location within the historic fur trade when the North West Company relocated their Lake Superior district headquarters there in 1803. Annual gatherings at Fort William brought together North West Company employees from across its vast geographic network. These gatherings at Fort William became known as the ‘Great Rendezvous’. The Rendezvous was an important part of the annual fur trade cycle. It

Métis oral histories contain many stories of New Year’s celebrations across the Métis Homeland, Sault Ste. Marie is no exception! They tell of Métis going from house to house for cakes and pies, with the sounds of fireworks, gunshots, church bells, and fiddle music ringing in the air, all accompanied by dancing. Métis were so fond of this time of year that they often shared stories with non-Métis authors interested in their community’s history. In the 1920s, for example, Jam

DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL COLOURING PAGE TO PRINT AT HOME A long time ago, Métis families celebrated New Year’s in the most fun and lively way! After a quiet Christmas, New Year’s was all about visiting neighbours, eating cakes and pies, dancing to fiddle music, and lighting up the night with fireworks! Everyone joined in—ringing church bells, sharing laughs, and enjoying good food. It was the perfect way to brighten the coldest months of winter and bring the whole community toget

Christmas and New Year’s celebrations were important for many Métis families and communities. Unsurprisingly, many shared and well-loved Métis holiday traditions exist across the Homeland. One such annual tradition was Métis Christmas kissing, which was particularly well-loved in the Métis community at Sault Ste. Marie. In 1951, settler Christy Ann Simons recorded her memoirs about her life growing up in the Upper Great Lakes during the late 1800s, in which the vibrant region

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

New Year’s has long been an important day of celebration in many Métis communities. For some, the date was marked with happy visiting among friends and relatives. For others, New Year’s was a time to let loose. For those of the latter inclination, the need for a lively New Year’s party was further heightened after the 1821 merger of the Hudson’s Bay Company and North West Company when HBC Governor George Simpson imposed new rules to curtail Métis workers’ love of parties and