Metis Stories of Hope is a new anthology and documentary of the same name released this past week by the Metis Nation of Alberta.--PHOTO BY JOLYNN PARENTEAU
“The load of our history is heavy and beautiful, delicate and powerful, tragic and resilient.”
– from the poem We Are the Sash by Tasha Hilderman, Metis Stories of Hope anthology
There is a palpable feeling of anticipation in the air. Dozens are in line, eagerly awaiting admittance to the new Muttart Theatre in the Stanley A. Milner Library in downtown Edmonton.
It is Thursday evening, and we are gathered for the documentary premiere and book release of Metis Stories of Hope, hotly-anticipated dual projects of the same name by writer Taylor Masters-Hall and producer Emma Grant.
Attendees settle into their seats, and Masters-Hall and Grant welcome their guests to an exciting evening, the culmination of many months of work.
Funded by the Metis Nation of Alberta, communications project co-ordinator Masters-Hall had put out the call for story submissions in February. This writer submitted a short biography, Parenteau on the Prairies, recounting a childhood that took shape around the rodeo chutes in northern Alberta and adulthood transformed by cultural connection. On this special evening, I am invited to take the stage for an author’s reading for the audience, and am humbled by their applause.
“Kinship and connection are two of the most important aspects of Metis culture,” reads the glossy hardcover book’s preface. “We love to come together to dance, eat, laugh and share our stories. Prioritizing community and connection is how we’ve kept our culture alive through the trials and triumphs of our nation’s past.”
The new anthology is filled with stunning original art and features “stories about Metis identity, community, and the path forward into our future …(to) showcase the resiliency and strength Metis people are known for,” writes Masters-Hall and Grant in the foreword.
‘Belly Button Connection’ by Emilea Saadeh is an essay about restoring the tender connection between parent and child and healing from lasting intergenerational trauma from a grandfather’s attendance at a residential school.
In another story, guitarist Paulette Dahlseide writes, “The experience of playing music with other musicians … is the quintessential expression of my connection to Metis culture and community.”
The evening’s film premiere begins, with the first scene opening on strawberry fields in sunlight.
“Strawberries are often the first signs of spring. Their plants are the first to awaken from their winter slumber, giving us new hope for the warmer days ahead. Just like gathering berries, we went on a mission to gather stories,” narrates Masters-Hall, recalling a road trip taken with Grant this summer, interviewing Metis citizens across the province. “Visiting and sharing stories is the backbone of the Metis community and the inspiration for Metis Stories of Hope,” she continues.
The film quotes Metis leader Louis Riel (b.1844-d.1885): “We must cherish our inheritance. We must preserve our nationality for the youth of our future. The story should be written down to pass on.”
It is easy to imagine that if the founder of the Metis Nation could have been present in the audience, he would be most proud.
Watching the film premiere on screen was an emotional experience for many guests in the audience.
“It was amazing. I was holding in a lot of tears,” shared Julia Sinclair of Grande Prairie, who was interviewed for the documentary in the spring. “Speaking about my kookum (grandmother) Francis Carifelle made me really proud to be here and be part of this.”
Now a successful entrepreneur in the beauty industry, Sinclair is originally from Peavine Metis Settlement, 400 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
“I’ve always been a Metis role model for the settlement, and so for me it’s super important to be able to have a voice,” she says.
The voices and stories of today’s Metis citizens from across Alberta are now preserved in film and print to be shared with generations to come.
“It’s time for our nation to be back on the wheel
To share all our stories in order to heal.
Light and love to the knowledge we gained,
Brings us back to the center of the true path again.
With integrity, clarity and truth to it all
We strive as a nation, never again will we fall.”
– from the poem Our Time by Nicole Gordon, Metis Stories of Hope anthology
JoLynn Parenteau is a Metis writer out of Miywasin Friendship Centre. Column feedback can be sent to jolynn.parenteau@gmail.com
