The first schools in New France were operated by the Catholic Church as were the schools in France. Early French education in the towns of Quebec, in the 1600s, gave way to a system of small French schools that had been established by the French regime, offering basic education mainly to boys, with a strict […]
By Pamela Andersson In the Province of Quebec, land distribution was originally based on a seigneurial system, established in 1627 and used until 1854. The seigneuries system of land distribution was regulated by law and had many advantages. Link A-Seigniory of Metis 1675-1854-by Ken Annett Its purpose was to promote settlement in a systematic way. […]
By Pamela Andersson The St. Lawrence River was the only waterway entry to the seigneury of Metis. Boat was the only way of travel available for the first settlers as no roads existed. Metis was a seigneurial regime and the establishment of the first permanent settlers was in 1818 thanks to John MacNider. Many who […]
By Pamela Andersson Folk Art Folk art covers all forms of visual art and reflects the cultural life and traditional values of a community. There are many different forms of folk art such as music, crafts, mosaics, photography, painting, writing, and even dancing. Folk Artists Folk artists create artwork that is decorative or utilitarian rather […]
By Pamela Andersson No village is ever built with the intent of abandonment or loss due to development. For many of us, we may never even have heard of these villages because they have disappeared and have been forgotten with time. Grand Metis village, formerly at the mouth of the Mitis River and Petit Metis […]
By Kathleen Miller If you live in Metis or, if you spend your summers there, it is almost certain that at one point or another you will hear about McGill University [1]. If you live in the area year-round, you may have applied for a McGill bursary. Even if you are just visiting Metis, you […]
Another Metis Connection “When the arts and crafts of a country gain recognition that country takes a new position in the respect of the world. No nation began with fine buildings, great sculptures, noble paintings. They all began with the lowly crafts” (Alice Peck 1934, 1). At the turn of the 20th century, with the […]
Long BEFORE Settler History ‘Kwe’ or ‘qey’ means ‘greetings’ in Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet/Malécite) and ‘pjila’si’ means ‘welcome, come in and sit down’ in Mi’gmaq. Sit down, listen and share oral tales that transfer knowledge from generation to generation and to those who ask to learn. FirstNations.ca describe storytelling as “… a traditional method used to teach […]
SHE SAID, HE SAID Anahareo and Archie Belaney, styling himself as Grey Owl, both included descriptions of their visit to Metis in their respective autobiographical books. The descriptions have similarities, but also some fun differences. Read for yourself! Devil in Deerskins: My Life with Grey Owl (1972) [After misunderstanding a job posting for a maid, […]