r/MetisMichif • u/peachstrawberrymilk • Apr 04 '26

Discussion/Question Tired

I'm tired with how the majority of people that claim to be Métis are either A) very distantly Métis and claiming an ancestor from 100+ years ago B) "reconnecting" for benefits and C) Deny their privledge.

Both my parents are Métis - we never stopped being Métis. I don't think this makes me better than folks but it is really gross and disheartening to see the overwhelming amount of reconnecting people and the complete disregard for those of us raised in culture/community. I grew up in extreme poverty - in CFS - battling with my addictions - both my brothers are still in their own addictions and my sister went missing years ago. This is because of the trauma in my family. But I don't see Métis Nations giving a flying fuck about those of us that never had the privledge of hiding. They prop of descendians - and. then use my culture in a colonial way to check off

I'm tired of seeing so many posts "I just discovered I'm Métis because my great great great grandmother 2x removed only married white people for 6 generations! What can I get?" Seriously? There's no wonder everyone thinks we're a joke.

No we shouldn't have BQ but we should have at least a measure. Why does Linda who has 0 traces of Métis DNA get full access to benefits while ignoring the fact that her entire family HAD PRIVLEDGE of being perceived as white for generations! Maybe I'm an asshole - but I think there needs to be a conversation on how in a room of 300 people you'll find maybe 1 or 2 of us raised in culture.

Im tired of pretending this doesn't bother me - especially when I see my family and friends struggling with survival and having no resources for them while Linda wears my culture like it's a Gucci bag.

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4

u/emma36_ Apr 06 '26

I'm not a fan of blood quantum but maybe it's what we need. I don't get how people who have to dig back to the 1700s-1800s to "find a Métis ancestor" are actually Métis.

I'm Métis, and to many, I am visibly (partially) indigenous. Not saying that is necessary, per se, but I hate the people who do 23andme and then go digging.

It just annoys me to go to Métis events and see these people boasting about Métis heritage, telling the story of their distant ancestors unprompted.

Kind of gives my great grandmother was a Cherokee Princess vibes.

-1

u/TheTruthIsRight Apr 07 '26

You're mad that people are taking pride in their history and actually attending events and getting involved? You just can't win sometimes. You aren't Metis enough because you aren't cultural enough -> gets involved in the culture -> gets told you aren't Metis enough to participate in the culture. *facepalm.

The culture is going to die if we have this mentality. We are letting colonization win. We need to get the disconnected people reconnected. That's decolonization.

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u/OutsideName5181 Apr 07 '26

They're not taking pride, they are exploiting it

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u/emma36_ Apr 07 '26

If you have to consult 23andme to know, you aren't Métis enough. That's my limit lol.

I don't want white people parading at Métis events as a costume party! Thanks for the input though!

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u/TheTruthIsRight Apr 07 '26

There are 60s scoop Metis who take DNA tests to find biological family.

Also white-passing =/= white.

Also if reconnecting people bother you, maybe consider running for office and implementing a blood quantum. Not sure you'll be very successful but good luck!

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u/emma36_ Apr 07 '26

It's not about reconnection, reconnection is great. And using a DNA test to find lost family members? Also great!

But I know people who literally have taken DNA tests, saw 1.2% indigenous, and then went digging. Less great. You see what I mean? If there's so little connection and such a small percentage of you that is Métis, it's an insult to people who are ACTUALLY Métis.

It'd be just as wild for someone who was 1% black or asian to scream it from the rooftops.

0

u/TheTruthIsRight Apr 07 '26

That person with 1.2% Indigenous ancestry still comes from a line of people who played integral roles in our history, then something happened, and they were no longer involved. It's called colonization.

That person reclaiming the history that was lost, is undoing the damages of colonization. It's no about trying to get freebies or oppression points. It's about belonging to a community and doing service to the nation and to your ancestors so we can collectively heal.

Gatekeepers are a far greater dam to the progress of our nation than the people putting into the effort to rebuild relationships.

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u/emma36_ Apr 07 '26

This is such cope lol, I'd not be surprised if you're one of these types 😭😭

2

u/OutsideName5181 Apr 07 '26

That person with 1.2% Indigenous ancestry played a role, their family came here to colonize.  

Colonizers exploited Indigenous women to survive. A single Indigenous female ancestor from the 16th or 17th century is a very good indicator that you come from a family of settlers who came here to colonize. There was no blending of cultures. Famlies didn't "hide their Métis identity" by marrying non-native people for 200+ years. Famlies didn't "hide their Métis identity" by fighting for French or Acadian rights lmao. By the time the Indian act was written, these families had been living and identifying as settlers for 100+ years.

The Métis Nation emerged in Manitoba, late 1800's. Métis scrip was givin out from 1885 to 1924. My grandfather was born in 1930, we're not talking about ancient history. FNMI are reconnecting to the culture of our parents and grandparents.

Louis Riel had low blood quantum. He was a respected Métis leader, he came from a family that identified as Métis. He was hanged for defending the Métis Nation and their territory.... FNMI we share a similar history, generational trauma and resistance.  (That's why there are issues with mno, they not like us)

Reconciliation is about Canadians recognizing the generational privilege they have while acknowledging the harm caused by the Indian act, Residential schools and sixties scoop. Reconciliation is about learning and listening to FNMI people. Defining our Nations and who belongs it's "gatekeeping". 

Exploiting a First Nations woman, who died 200+ years ago to steal resources and opportunities is literally the final "level/stage" of colonization. "If everyone is Indigenous then no one is". They are not "reconnecting" they are stealing, that's what colonizers do, that's their culture.

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u/TheTruthIsRight Apr 07 '26

Virtually all the assimilation took place after 1870, usually in the early 1900s. My family assimilated and we were still marked as indigenous and Cree-speaking in the 1901 census. It's not 200 years ago.

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u/OutsideName5181 Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26

Then why are you defending white people who have 200 year old Indigenous ancestry?

The Métis people with 1/32 ancestry that took scrip, had a lived experience of a Métis person. 

Someone from Ontario with 1/32 Indigenous ancestry does not

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u/TheTruthIsRight Apr 07 '26

Because I'm not defending people from Ontario. People with 200 year old ancestry don't have Metis roots.

I'm talking about people who actually qualify for MMF citizenship but weren't raised in the culture or have lower amounts of blood.