Strength in Stories: Rosette Boucher

Rosette Boucher (née Larammee), born on Drummond Island on December 12, 1815, is a unique and valuable Métis storyteller whose voice continues to resonate today. Boucher is notable as one of only two Métis women whose accounts are featured in A.C. Osborne’s The Migration of Voyageurs from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene in 1828. 

Growing up in a Métis family deeply tied to fur trade travel and military life, Rosette was surrounded by stories and carried them with remarkable clarity throughout her life. Rosette’s narrative offers a unique perspective on the experiences of Drummond Island’s Métis families after their relocation to Penetanguishene in the aftermath of the War of 1812. 

At just thirteen, she joined her parents and siblings on the difficult 1828 journey, travelling with several other Métis families. The details she shared decades later reveal the depth of her memory and the care she took in naming the people and places that shaped her world.

Rosette’s stories preserve daily life, from weddings performed by Bishop McDonnell to neighbours lost to tragedy and the resilience shown through harsh winters and dangerous travel. Her narrative remains essential to understanding and preserving her Métis community’s history, resilience, and kinship across the Upper Great Lakes.

See Our Sources

• The Migration of Voyageurs from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene

Mini Word Search

Have fun with the facts by completing today's mini word search.