Tansi;
I recognize the desire for those people who, discovering their Aboriginal ancestry, wish to learn more about their Heritage and find ways of "belonging." My advice to them would be to go to the established Aboriginal communities, that they have descendancy from, use Respect and learn about the Culture of their ancestors.
This does take time and patience, but could lead to a better understanding of their own Heritage. I definitely have problems with people not taking the time to learn about their own Heritage and, using their own misunderstanding of what they would like their Culture to look like, creating structures that bear little resemblance to the Culture of their ancestors.
I also take offense at the misuse of terms, such as Metis, which are too often used when some of these groups are unsuccessful in gaining acceptance of the Aboriginal people of their own Heritage.
As a Metis person, I have learned about our history and Heritage and attempt to Respectfully pass these teachings on, to our next generations. The blood of my ancestors permeates the land on which we live, with the memories of battles won and lost echoing through the valleys and forests to this day. For a long time, our people were not recognized by governments and it was through the efforts of some of our dynamic people, that we have gained Constitutional recognition, by Canada. We have been known as the "forgotten" people and were denied many Aboriginal Rights, such as a land base or any of the other Aboriginal Rights that we continue to fight for and often win. When our people joined the armed forces, in WWI and WWII, they were denied Veterans Benefits given to non-native Veterans, even though they were credited with serving with distinction.
The reason that our Culture has gained official recognition, is largely due to the fact that we have continued to live our Culture, in spite of extreme efforts to force us to assimilate. Even the community, in which I live, was used to relocate our people by force, in the 1940's. The main language of our community is Michif, which is a blend of Cree (Nehiyawin), French and English.
In being Metis, my father always told me that I should always Honour and Respect the family members that I have, who are Status Indians, since all Metis people have relations on Reserve and are only Metis, due to being part First Nation. I have had the priveledge of meeting with many of my family, on various Reserves, including at Mistawasis (Big Child), where my wife and I were Honoured in being danced out in the Grand Entry of the annual Pow Wow, and being introduced to the Band as a returning Band member and his wife. As my Grandfather came from Mistawasis, but became "enfranchised" as a Canadian, in order to join the army in WWI, many people remembered him with Respect. Between the World Wars, he married a Metis woman and raised many children, four of whom he took with him, when he joined the military, in WWII. It is to Canada's shame that many Reserves were reduced in size, in order to give land to non-native Veterans, following WWI. Aboriginal Veterans, both First Nation and Metis were not given lands or other Veterans benefits, and have only recently had the opportunity to regain the Rights as First Nations people, which had been taken away by joining the War efforts in WWI.
For this individual, who chooses to go by the name BuffaloHeart, to claim to be Metis, to me is offensive and is likely an attempt to gain credibility by claiming our Heritage and History, which he has not lived. Even using the MNS as a acronym is offensive, since I belong to the MNS (Metis Nation Saskatchewan.)
With Respect to my Ancestors.
Ric
