FOCUS: Métis languages

Discussions about the languages spoken by the Métis are both rich and complex. In this project, we would like to highlight the principle of linguistic sovereignty, which can be defined as the right of Indigenous peoples to choose their own languages and have control over the revitalization of their ancestral languages. Much has been written on the subject of the languages spoken by the Métis, especially Michif. The primary source for this text below is the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, especially the volume on the Métis (Canadian Geographic, 2018) in order to situate the ancestral languages of the Métis people. This Atlas was written in partnership with the Métis National Council.

According to the Atlas, "The Métis are primarily known for speaking Michif, the official language of the Métis Nation." (p. 24). Michif is described as a unique hybrid language “composed of the Plains Cree dialect (with some Saulteaux) verbs/verb phrases and French (with some English) nouns/noun phrases. Its origins date to the late 18th century. It is spelled phonetically and does not yet have a standardized orthography.” (p. 25).

The Métis also speak other ancestral languages, including French Michif (or Métis French), a dialect of Canadian French with some Algonquian linguistic features (...). "

Other Cree dialects identified include "Northern Michif", a Woods Cree dialect with some French (noun) word borrowings." (p. 24) This Atlas also lists nêhinawewin (maskegon or N-dialect) and nêhiyawêmowin (Plains Cree, or Y-dialect). “Turtle Mountain Chippewa-Cree” is spoken in North Dakota. Dr. A. Stevenson (1997, i) also adds the TH-, L- and R-dialects. According to this Métis Elder from St. Albert, the Y-dialect is the most common Cree dialect traditionally spoken by the Métis in Alberta. According to speakers and sources, these Cree dialects are often called "Cree" or "Michif" (Iseke, 2013).

Canadian Geographic (2018) also identifies dënesųłiné (Chipewyan/Dene) (p. 24). Bungi or Bungee, "a Métis dialect of English that includes many Cree and Scots Gaelic words" is identified as an extinct language.

The languages and dialects spoken by the Métis vary locally but have all been subject to assimilation, threatening them with disappearance and making the revitalization process essential. Several Métis institutions (such as the Rupertsland Institute in Alberta, Institut Gabriel Dumont in Saskatchewan and Institut Louis Riel in Manitoba) are working to revive these ancestral languages. Métis communities in various provinces are reclaiming the language with local initiatives (creation of resources, summer camps, etc.) under the guidance of Elders and Knowledge Keepers. Attaching our knowledge of the languages spoken by the Métis in Alberta to their ancestral territory is essential since the language is intrinsically linked to their identity, culture, land, stories, and local knowledge.

N.B.: From a strictly linguistic point of view, there are three languages: Michif (a mixed language with an established linguistic structure, half Plains Cree, half French), French Michif (or "Métis French", a French-Canadian dialect spoken by the Métis), and Cree Michif (Cree with a fairly strong French influence). These languages are divided into local dialects. The influences of other Indigenous languages (like Ojibway) on these dialects have not been well documented. The languages spoken by the Indigenous peoples are inseparable from the identities, cultures, territories, and the land; they are a whole system, and do not fit into western categorizations (Nahwillet Meissner, 2018), .

A POINT TO PONDER: "Lii Michif niyannan": We are Métis - We are Michif. The same word is used to designate the people and the language. Language and identity are one and the same. The Métis are people of mixed ancestry; this is not a monolithic bloc, as evidenced by the wealth and diversity of their languages and dialects.

The videos shared below are the results of a collaboration with Métis Elders, Knowledge Keepers and educators from the Lac La Biche and Lac Ste. Anne regions as well as Gunn Métis Local 55/Lac Ste. Anne Métis Community Association in Alberta.

N.B.: If you wish to use these videos in the classroom, we invite you to become familiar with the supporting materials provided in order to honour the shared stories and knowledge, avoid misinterpretation and feel more comfortable with the topics covered.

REFERENCES

Canadian Geographic (2018). Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. The Métis. Royal Canadian Geographic Society.

Iseke, J. (2013). Negotiating Métis culture in Michif: Disrupting Indigenous language shift. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 2(2), 92-116.

Nahwillet Meissner S. (2018). The moral fabric of linguicide: un-weaving trauma narratives and dependency relationships in Indigenous language reclamation. Journal of Global Ethics, 14 (2), 266-276

N.B.: Some videos were previously published online by Polyglot Magazine.