Also a complicated question. Did I mention that I was almost at the half-century mark?
Over the last 3 or 4 years, my father became more interested about the focus of my genealogy research. We began talking about who we were and he talked quite a bit about his early life and he started helping me with my genealogy research (my favorite Winter pastime).
His uncle had devoted the early years of his life recording the names and collecting information of our male ancestors. The family tree was pretty complete. Except that the women were almost footnotes!
I’m certainly not going to place blame here. I love my great-uncle dearly and at almost 97 years old young, I have only great admiration for this virtuous man!
My goal in building our family tree was to focus on my female ancestors and develop and highlight their existence.
Anyways…
We never questioned our Métis identity. Whether it was through my dad’s talks with his grandmother about the “cousins” Dubois, Beaugrand-Champagne and others that settled West, or having met my grandfather’s cousins from Odanak and Manawan. We just were.
Then my dad passed away, very suddenly. It was a year ago today.
Les écrits d'une ♾Abitawiskwe♾ and her writings 
Reblogged this on Qallunette's Quest and commented:
As the Supreme Court of Canada pronounces itself on the fate of Métis next April 14th, I look back on my path since my father’s passing, almost 2 years ago. I then became the Eldest of the Eldest’s Eldest – and responsible for passing down our Family oral history to a next generation and fighting for my great-grandchildren’s great-grandchildren.