* * * a Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot) Elder Once Told Me “As Soon As You Write
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* * * A Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot) Elder once told me “as soon as you write it down, it’s wrong” I suppose he would laugh at what follows. * * * Métis or Moniyâw: Explorative stories of decolonizing my Métis identity Bob Montgomery, BEtol Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Applied Health Sciences (Leisure Studies) Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University St. Catharines Ontario © 2015 In loving memory of the kindest woman I have ever known. Thank you for all of your love and support in every step I have taken on this journey. I love you Nana. Abstract This thesis explores my emergent processes of identifying as a Métis person through autoethnographic narratives. I provide an overview of Métis history, identification, and decolonization, especially written by and for Aboriginal peoples. Using a decolonizing framework of Indigenous métissage (Donald, 2012) – which brings together complex, and nuanced influences to build knowledge – and an autoethnographic methodology, I explore cultural knowledges through critical self-reflection. I collected autoethnographic data in the form of personal journals and family artifacts; additionally, I shared conversations with other Métis peoples, which I used to further inform my own processes of identification and decolonization. The study results are presented as narrative vignettes, offering conclusions about: a) cultural ambivalence; b) privilege; c) language and music reclamation; and d) building relationships with both people and land. This research builds upon literature by, about, and for the benefit of Aboriginal peoples and settlers and offers considerations relevant to decolonization and identification. Keywords: Métis, Decolonization, Identity, Autoethnography, Métissage i Acknowledgements I would like to thank the Haudenosaunee, Nêhiyâw, Siksikaitsitapi, Siksika, Iyarhe Nakoda and Métis peoples for their generosity in hosting me on their traditional and contemporary territories while I pursued this endeavour. I was accepted as both a Moniyâw (non-Native person) and a Métis person in all of these places as I worked to figure out which one (if not both) that I embody. This project would not be possible without the tireless, and incredible mentorship given to me by my exceptional graduate supervisor Dr. Mary Breunig. Mary, you consistently set aside your own endeavours to facilitate my processes, you offered advice and direction when I needed it and allowed me space to discover when the time was right. Your patience and openness to new learnings provided me the support and confidence to explore these knowledges. The gifts you offered to me cannot be understated; I am grateful and incredibly lucky to have met you and come to know you both professionally and personally. You are an incredible human being. Thank you. My supervisory committee: Dr. Greg Lowan-Trudeau and Dr. Margot Francis both consistently offered me exceptional support and thoughtful feedback to assist in developing a truly unique, and ethically rigorous project that I feel very proud of. You are brilliant, kind, honest and amazing people. I owe each of you a deep debt of gratitude. Thank you so much for all your support. Additionally, the participants in this study are some of the most wonderful people I have had the privilege of knowing. The vulnerability you shared with me through your stories is both beautiful and profound. I am so grateful to know you all. Thank you Kayla, Frances, Sarah B. and Sarah P. Your journeys are inspiring beyond words and I look forward to many more shared memories. My family members and friends also provided me an incredible amount of support. Whether offering me the stories of my past, encouraging me in times of doubt, giving me safe haven or fielding stress induced phone calls at all hours I am truly lucky to have inherited and encountered so many amazing people in my life. Dad, thank for always offering my your ear when I needed it and for standing behind me; you are such a good man. Mom, thank you for your unwavering belief in me, and for empowering me to embrace the unknown. To my sister Courtney, thank you for listening to my ranting and for always being there in support. I’d also like to thank my Auntie Lee and Uncle Bill for offering me all they could to fill out the stories of our ancestors and for grounding me in a sense of Métisness. Thank you all so very much. I would especially like to thank my late Nana Barb; Nana was an unendingly kind soul who always treated everyone with deep respect. She was so encouraging and always indulged me when I wanted to hear stories about “the relatives”. Nana always had time to speak with me and offer me sweet treats. To be in her presence as she slowly moved throughout her old house, singing songs I’ve never heard was a true gift. Nana passed away approximately halfway through this project and I miss her everyday. Thank you for giving me your unconditional love. I am so much better having known you. I love you so much. Ninanaskomon (great thanks) ii Table of Contents Abstract_________________________________________________________________i Acknowledgements ______________________________________________________ ii Table of Contents ________________________________________________________iii List of Figures___________________________________________________________ v Chapter One: Introduction ________________________________________________ 1 Métis Peoples ________________________________________________________ 6 Purpose and Research Questions ________________________________________ 8 Chapter Two: Review of Literature________________________________________ 10 Indigenous and Métis History__________________________________________ 12 Métis History and Identity ____________________________________________ 17 Legally Defining the Métis ____________________________________________ 19 Métis Stories of Identity and Loss ______________________________________ 21 Hybridity, Third Space and Métissage as Identity _________________________ 23 (Post?)Colonialism ___________________________________________________ 29 Colonialism, postcolonialism and decolonization. _________________________ 30 Recreation, Leisure and Identity _______________________________________ 37 Purpose and Research Questions Revisited_______________________________ 41 Chapter Three: Methods_________________________________________________ 42 The Best Laid Plans __________________________________________________ 42 Qualitative Research _________________________________________________ 45 Indigenous Methodologies_____________________________________________ 47 Autoethnography ____________________________________________________ 51 Data Collection and Ethical Concerns ___________________________________ 53 Reflexive, dyadic interviews and sampling. ______________________________ 54 Field notes.________________________________________________________ 58 Artifacts.__________________________________________________________ 59 Data Analysis and/or Interpretation ____________________________________ 60 Vignettes. _________________________________________________________ 63 Limitations _________________________________________________________ 69 Hesitations.________________________________________________________ 70 Chapter Four: Métis Stories From My Relations_____________________________ 72 Kayla Hannan_______________________________________________________ 72 Frances Riviere______________________________________________________ 76 Sarah Brown________________________________________________________ 82 Sarah Pocklington ___________________________________________________ 89 Chapter Five: Song Of Myself ____________________________________________ 95 iii Interlude _____________________________________________________________ 132 Chapter Six: “I Believe This To Be True”__________________________________ 133 Artifacts and Conversations Influencing my Identification_________________ 135 Groundedness and self-acceptance. ____________________________________ 135 Illegitimacy. ______________________________________________________ 137 Ambivalence. _____________________________________________________ 139 Considering Decolonization __________________________________________ 140 Confronting colour, passing and privilege. ______________________________ 141 Recognizing traditional lands. ________________________________________ 143 Building relationships. ______________________________________________ 145 Language and music as cultural praxis. _________________________________ 147 Decolonizing from Eurocentric starting points.___________________________ 149 Situating Myself in Indigenous Literature ______________________________ 151 Multiplicity in Métis identities. _______________________________________ 151 Lateral violence.___________________________________________________ 153 Resisting definitions and embracing stories. _____________________________ 155 Future Directions for Decolonization and Identification ___________________ 157 Influences on identification for Métis peoples. ___________________________ 157 Reciprocity. ______________________________________________________ 158 Developing a relationship with land. ___________________________________ 160 Decolonizing my diet. ______________________________________________ 161 Re-conceptualizing urban landscapes.__________________________________ 163 Recognizing cultural significance of land._______________________________ 164 Closing____________________________________________________________