Road Allowance People

Summary

In this deeply personal reflection, Russell Fant, a faculty member at the Gabriel Dean Institute, shares his journey as a Métis individual. He discusses his cultural identity, the significance of Road allowance communities, and the historical struggles of the Métis people, particularly their displacement from traditional lands. Fant emphasizes the resilience, independence, and contributions of Indigenous communities to Canada's development, highlighting their role in shaping the nation's history. The conversation also touches on the complexities of Métis heritage, the loss of connection to the land, and the need for a broader understanding of Indigenous contributions beyond trauma narratives.

Takeaways

• 😀 Russell Fant introduces himself as a faculty member at the Gabriel Dean Institute Sant, where he teaches and shares his own personal journey of learning about his heritage.
• 😀 The term 'Makit Tun' refers to someone with a big mouth, highlighting the importance of storytelling in his culture.
• 😀 Russell shares that his family has always spoken a language different from French or English, which he later learned is called Michif.
• 😀 A key connection to the land is emphasized, with Russell explaining his strong attachment to a piece of land and a road allowance house his family lived near.
• 😀 Road allowance communities were created when Métis people fled Manitoba during the 1869-1870 resistance and sought unclaimed land to continue practicing their culture and rights.
• 😀 Road allowances are strips of land, often alongside roads or railroads, that became home to Métis people, often leading to their marginalization within society.
• 😀 By the 1960s, many Métis people began moving to cities for better economic opportunities, leading to the decline of these road allowance communities.
• 😀 Russell discusses how, for many Métis, there was a loss of connection to land, self-sufficiency, and a sense of community as they moved away from rural areas.
• 😀 He clarifies the misconception that Métis people are simply 'half First Nations and half European,' emphasizing that many Métis have been intermarrying within their own community for over 200 years.
• 😀 Russell argues that Métis history is often overlooked in Canada, and stresses that Métis people have made significant contributions to the nation's development, from establishing Red River cart trails to contributing to early agriculture in Saskatchewan.
• 😀 He challenges the narrative of Indigenous peoples being defined solely by trauma, encouraging a more balanced view that includes their resilience, independence, and cultural contributions to the country.

Q & A

What does the term 'makit tun' mean in the context of the speaker's identity?

The term 'makit tun' refers to a 'big mouth,' symbolizing the speaker's tendency to talk a lot.

How does Russell Fant describe his connection to his heritage and culture?

Russell Fant mentions that he grew up not fully understanding the depth of his heritage, but later reclaimed this knowledge through reading, visiting places, and connecting with his family’s traditions and history.

What role does the land play in Russell Fant's personal and cultural identity?

The land, particularly a piece of land near a road allowance house, is significant to Fant's identity, as it is connected to many family stories and represents a deep cultural and emotional connection.

What is a road allowance community, and why are they important to Métis people?

Road allowance communities are lands set aside by the Crown for use, often parallel to roads or railroads. These communities were important to Métis people, as they offered a place for settlement after many Métis were displaced and disenfranchised of their land rights in the 1869-1870 resistance.

Why were road allowance communities eventually abandoned or displaced?

By the 1960s, many Métis people moved to towns and cities in search of better economic opportunities, leading to the decline of road allowance communities.

What does Russell Fant say was lost when many Métis people left the road allowance communities?

Fant believes that the strong connection to the land and the ability to build homes and live off the land were lost. Additionally, a sense of community that once existed in the road allowance communities faded.

What misconception about Métis people does Russell Fant address?

Fant challenges the misconception that Métis people are simply half First Nations and half European. He explains that Métis people have intermarried within their own communities for over 200 years, making them a distinct group with their own cultural identity.

How does Russell Fant feel about the portrayal of Métis culture in mainstream narratives?

Fant feels that Métis culture is often oversimplified and reduced to only a few aspects, like jigger dancing, but there's much more to the culture, especially in the context of Métis people's contributions to Canada’s history.

How have Métis people contributed to Canada’s development, according to Russell Fant?

Métis people played a significant role in Canada’s development, especially in shaping the nation's infrastructure. For example, many of the major highways in southern Saskatchewan follow old Red River cart trails created by Métis during the Bison hunts.

What does Russell Fant mean when he says that many Indigenous peoples 'resisted' Canada?

Fant refers to how many Indigenous peoples, including Métis, resisted Canada's formation and its associated developments, such as the building of the railroad, which devastated traditional ways of life for many Indigenous communities.