Madeline Legarde’s Barkwork

Around the shores of the Upper Great Lakes, Métis women were far more than mothers and wives. They played vital roles in supporting their families, communities, and local economies.

Through their labour and skills, Métis women helped sustain the Métis way of life, contributing to harvesting, preparing and preserving food, crafting goods, and serving as translators between Indigenous and settler communities. Their work strengthened both household stability and broader community networks. Yet these key contributions were often overlooked in historical records.

The historic Sault Ste. Marie Métis Community’s Madeline Legarde was born around 1794 and married Jean Baptiste Lesage as a young adult. Together they raised three known children in the Sault Ste. Marie region alongside many other Métis families.

By 1861, Madeline was recorded in the census as a widow living along Lake Superior’s rugged shores. At that time, she supported herself through barkwork.

Late into her life, Madeline continued to work and contribute to her community. More than a mother, wife, or widow, she used her skills to craft objects of use and beauty, selling them and supporting herself while continuing the long tradition of Métis women sustaining their families and communities through their place-based knowledge and creativity.

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• Lesage-Legarde VMFL

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