The Two Marguerites

When recounting the story of her community’s 1828 relocation from Drummond Island, Métis storyteller Angelique Longlade offered more than a recollection of movement. She shared her family’s history, displaying a unique style of Métis storytelling and humour. 

In reflecting on her early life, Longlade comically recalled the unusual circumstance of how due to a priest’s mistake, two of her sisters were given the same first name: 

“Ma fadder, mudder, Charlie, Louie, Pierre, two Marguerites, Angélique, dats me, an Delede, all come in big bateau from Nort shore. Priess mak mistak an baptise two Marguerites.”

That one priest’s error became a lasting part of the Longlade family’s story, alongside their experiences of relocation and resilience. Even though they carried the same name, the two Marguerites carved their own paths within the growing Métis community.

Through Angelique’s words, successive generations have been reminded that Métis women were not passive figures carried by history. They were active participants in adaptation, remembering and community resilience. Even something as simple as a shared name could not define or limit them.

See Our Sources

• Migration of Voyageurs From Drummond Island to Penetanguishene

• Longlade VMFL

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