The Métis As the North West Company pushed westward, the hivernants were forced to winter in their trading areas. Fur traders married daughters of Native families. Such marriages were encouraged by the NWC and the Native peoples. Letitia Bird, a Cree of mixed ancestry, 1858.

The Métis – Study Guide p. 6 #1 The NWC thought such marriages would ensure trading loyalty. The Native elders thought it advantageous to have daughters marry fur traders. Wives of fur traders enjoyed an improved standard of living.

The HBC, not wanting to support dependents, forbade marriages and tried to enforce a policy of celibacy. This policy failed and cross-cultural marriages occurred. John Norquay (May 8, 1841 – July 5, 1889) was the Premier of Manitoba of mixed English and native ancestry from 1878 to 1887.

By the early 19 th century, a significant number of people in the Northwest were of European-Native ancestry. As they married among themselves, a new culture evolved: the Métis. By hivernants and voyageurs living in the Northwest.

The Métis The Métis usually spoke French and Algonkian, or a dialect that combined the two languages. Most were Roman Catholic. By 1810, many Métis lived near the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in the Red River Valley.

The Métis The Métis farms were laid out along the river banks in the traditional French segneurial pattern. The bison hunt was a seasonal event. The hunt was extremely dangerous.

The Métis

The Métis used Red River Carts for the bison hunt and farming.

Seasonal event For Métis and First Nations groups 1821 – Métis Begin selling Pemmican to The HBC 1851 – Métis group attacked By Sioux warriors. BISON HUNT TIMELINE Métis developed “rules” for the hunt NWC and HBC merged

The Métis Bison was also used to make pemmican, a dried meat, pounded into coarse powder and mixed with an equal amount of melted fat, and occasionally saskatoon berries or other edibles.

The Red River Colony In 1812, the actions of one man, Thomas Douglas, the Fifth Earl of Selkirk, profoundly affected  the fortunes of the Métis, and  the rivalry of the HBC and the NWC. Lord Selkirk

The Red River Colony Lord Selkirk, a liberal democrat, was concerned about the plight of the Scottish tenant farmers. He was also an HBC director. Shipping food from England to feed HBC employees was costly. Selkirk thought he could solve these problems by establishing a farming colony in the Red River Valley.

The Red River Colony In Scotland, large landowners had “enclosed” their farmland. Wool was more profitable than rent from tenant farmers, or “crofters.” Enclosure meant crofters were evicted from the land in favour of sheep-grazing. Crofters had two choices:  work in Glasgow factories, or  emigrate to British North America and be farmers. Evicted Highland Crofter

The Red River Colony In 1811, Lord Selkirk convinced the HBC to give him about square kilometres to establish a colony. This land was called “Selkirk’s Grant.”

The Red River Colony From the outset the Nor’Westers (NWC) attempted to block the establishment of the colony.  They saw it as a threat to the fur trade.  The location of the colony blocked the major rivers that linked the fur country to the plains where pemmican, the staple of their diet, was procured.

Battle of Seven Oaks Causes Effects Crofters in Scotland are kicked off of their land Earl of Selkirk sees a opportunity for them in the Red River valley HBC pays high prices for foodSelkirk figures that Scottish farmers Can grown food for HBC in Rupert’s Land (Red River) Selkirk convinces HBC to grant him sq. km of land Known as Selkirk’s Grant Scottish settlers move to the area and form the Red River Colony, but are unprepared for the climate Food shortage due to crop failure Miles Macdonnell, commander of settlers Declares the Pemmican Proclamation Pemmican Proclamation Angers the Métis and NWC who rely on the sale of Pemmican: resulted in tension with HBC. Macdonnell is removed. HBC/Scottish settlers lead by Robert Semple underestimate the Métis Métis, lead by Cuthbert Grant kill Semple and 20 of his men in Battle of Seven Oaks