PG Metis Community Association celebrates Louis Riel Day
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PRINCE GEORGE – Saturday (Nov16) is Louis Riel Day which when the Metis community across the country pays homage.
In 1884 Riel was called upon by the Métis leaders in Saskatchewan to help resolve longstanding grievances with the Canadian government. He returned to Canada and led an armed conflict with government forces: the North-West Rebellion of 1885.
“The Canadian government during colonization, ended up convicting Louis Riel for treason for fighting for Metis rights against the expansion of the colonists and the encroachment on traditional lands,” explains Amanda Sopel, Secretary-Treasurer for the PG Metis Community Association. “And also they were trying to take away our voting rights. So, Louis stood up and he fought for our people. He was a mighty person who, back then, was educated. So having that education gave him a leg up to fight for our people.”
The Metis Community in Prince George is about five thousand strong and a celebration of Metis culture took place today in the Gathering Place at UNBC. There were those there doing beads to books on Metis culture and different forms of traditional sashes. All things Metis were on display, along with some of the music of the time in Manitoba. And there is symbolism to some of the cultural garb, such as the sash.
