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

While harvesting for food and furs occurred throughout the year around Northern Lake Superior, it took expert knowledge of the waters and lands to harvest throughout the notoriously harsh winters—knowledge that Métis, born and raised in the region, were well-equipped with. For instance, the 1858 Michipicoten post journal identifies six out of the post’s nine post harvesters as Métis. Like many fur trade posts, Michipicoten relied heavily on skilled Métis harvesters to conduc

Angelique Lepine (nee Cadotte) was a Métis woman born in the Upper Great Lakes in the early 1800s. As a young woman, she married Pierre Lepine, a French-Canadian. Soon after, the couple welcomed their first child, Therise, into the world. However, that world was one of upheaval for Angelique’s Métis community. In 1828, Angelique, her husband, and their baby daughter were among the many Métis families forced to relocate from their homes on Drummond Island after the British ced

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