Manitoba's New Holiday: Louis Riel Day

..happy louis riel day from vancouver!

Thanks, Unionist!

Make Louis Riel Day a national holiday

Riel was hanged in 1885 by a corrupt, openly racist prime minister who boasted before the execution, "He will hang though every dog in Quebec bark in his favour." The face of Sir John A. Macdonald graces our ten-dollar bill, while the man he killed remains unheralded save a six-cent stamp issued in 1970.

With the Idle No More movement driving renewed debate about relations with the Indigenous peoples of this land, a national holiday celebrating a Métis hero would help recognize the long history of resistance to colonization within our borders.

Like Idle No More, the Red River Resistance challenged Ottawa's attempt to wrest control of the land from its inhabitants without consultation or compensation. "We may be a small community," he warned. "But we are men, free and spirited men, and we will not allow even the Dominion of Canada to trample on our rights."

Louis Riel is an exemplar of organized action against injustice, essential in the founding of two Canadian provinces, and a touchstone of resistance. He was a brilliant political strategist, exceedingly educated in law and the liberal arts, and fluent in French, English, Cree, and Latin. He was a reluctant warrior, a poet, a prophet. "My people will sleep for one hundred years," he said. "And it will be the artists who will help them awake."

Make Louis Riel Day a national holiday?

So should we have a national Louis Riel Day? While it may resonate in some provinces, I'm not sure Louis Riel would resonate here in B.C. or other parts of Canada, especially if we follow protocol.

Perhaps an Indigenous Unity Day is more suitable. Honouring the traditional and ancestral territories on which we live, such as unceded Coast Salish territories here in Vancouver, means we should respect and honour the courageous peoples who fought and are still fighting on this territory to keep their traditions.

While it is important to foreground the legacies of colonisation, we should acknowledge traditions and ways of being that exist and the new ones that are being created. Indigenous peoples are reclaiming and reinventing traditions as shown in Idle No More.

I attended an Idle No More gathering at the Broadway and Commercial Skytrain station in Vancouver, a part of Vancouver’s urban rez. People from different Nations-Cree, Haida, Métis, Kwakwaka'wakw-shared their songs. Excited youth, maybe unsure of the songs and dance, still giddily joined in. B.C. First Nations did pow wow songs and people from all Nations, along with non-Native people, did a round dance in the busy intersection.

Maybe, to paraphrase the Grinch, Indigenous Unity is not bought in a store; maybe it means just a little bit more than a designated day.

 

 

Monday, February 18

Celebrate Louis Riel Day

As Manitobans get ready to celebrate Louis Riel Day on Feb. 18, the Manitoba Metis Federation Portage Local wants you, the rural municipalities, to celebrate with them.

“It’s going to be a family fun day its also going to be an educational day,” said Leigh Ann McLennan, one of the organizers of the event. “All can come out and try different activities Metis style. We’ve got activities outside and inside.”

The federation and the Portage Regional Recreation Authority have combined resources to celebrate the legacy of a man responsible for the establishment of Manitoba within the Canadian confederacy.

The one-day free event will take place at the PCU Centre from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with indoor and outdoor activities.

“This is what Metis people did many years ago and what they still do. They use snowshoes, they use toboggans still, and they do all sorts of these things so we’re going to give everybody a taste. We’re also going to have a fire outside and they can cook their own bannock over an open fire,” said McLennan.

Other activities include sling shot target, rope making, sleigh rides, smoosh races (where teams of three or more ski on the same skis in unison), jigging workshops (Red River step dancing) and Metis storytelling.

There will also be a free public skate from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and a free public swim from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“Everything is free – we wanted it to be an educational family day for people and felt that that’s how we want our first annual one to be,” said McLennan.

Entertainment for the day will be provided by Johnny Dietrich and The Silver Dollar band and the Metis Prairie Steppers.

“Johnny Dietrich is a member of the local Portage Metis Federation and he’s a singer who plays guitar. He sings a lot of his own songs and some country and old rock,” said McLennan.

“We open it up for anyone that wants to come and jam and play a few tunes with Johnny they’re very welcome to do that too.”

“We’re going do all sorts of traditional music over the afternoon and we’ll hopefully get some more fiddlers up and see what we can come up with,” she said.

For those who want souvenirs, Metis items will be sold at the event such as sashes and other small Metis novelty items, according to McLennan who has spread flyers all over the different rural municipalities such as St. Claude and St. Eustache, advertising the event.

“It’s really hands on. We really encourage people to come out and enjoy the afternoon,” said McLennan. “We just encourage people to come and take a look to see a little bit about the Metis culture and what it has to offer and I’m sure that they’ll find something that they really enjoy with their families for that afternoon.”

http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/2013/02/13/celebrate-louis-riel-day

Public cites Terry Fox and Louis Riel as top historical figures

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/travel/Public+cites+Terry+Louis+Riel+histor...

Modern-day history: Louis Riel's legacy redefined

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/modern-day-history-1915148...

He is a prof and he has written books on the subject however I would recommend George Woodcock's, "Gabriel Dumont: The Métis Chief and his Lost World" – 1975.  History is always about the perspective that one brings to the topics and Woodcock has been one of my favourite academic writers for 40 years.

Quote:

University of Calgary history professor and former Stephen Harper adviser Flanagan, 70, co-edited the five-volume Collected Writings of Louis Riel and is the author of three other books about Riel.

I don't like the BC Liberal's Family Day although I would like the idea of a holiday that coincides with the Lunar New Year as this years Family Day did. I also think that Louis is one of the best bars in Canada and because of the name most U of S grads learn at least a bit of the history of the Saskatchewan Resistance.  If one wants to experience Metis culture then I would suggest going to Back to Batoche Days.

Quote:

Welcome Back to Batoche!

Métis people have travelled back to Batoche to celebrate their culture, languages, music and art and we invite you to join us for four days of celebrations, including jigging, fiddling, square dancing, evening entertainment, old time dance, workshops, Chuckwagon and Chariot Races, Slo Pitch Tournament and Voyageur Games that will get your heart pumping. Visit the many artisans as they showcase their talents and enjoy traditional cuisine. The Batoche campsite is open from May long-weekend to September long-weekend, you are welcome to come early or extend your stay. 

http://www.backtobatoche.org/

The idea of Louis Riel Day would have merit except that aboriginal groups lobbied in the 1990's for a celebratory day and had June 21st, often on the summer solistice, proclaimed to be the national holiday recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of the FN's, Metis and other aboriginal cultures.  Do we need two days proclaimed or maybe an effort to have the provinces all adopt June 21 as National Aboriginal Day would be the proper course?

..happy louis riel day!

[url=http://www.ndp.ca/news/statement-official-opposition-louis-riel-day]Stat... by the Official Opposition on Louis Riel Day[/url]

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Official Opposition MPs Niki Ashton (Churchill) and Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre) made the following statement on Louis Riel Day:
 
“Each year, Manitobans celebrate Louis Riel Day to remember the important role Riel played in defending Métis rights and in Manitoba’s entry into the Canadian federation.
 
New Democrats recognize the work of Louis Riel—one of the first great Métis politicians who fought to protect the French language and the rights of minorities.
 
This day is also an opportunity to highlight the many contributions of Métis people to Canada’s growth and development.
 
Today we call on the government to recognize the founding role of Louis Riel and restore his rightful place in our history. We renew our call for the government to reverse his conviction. We seek to have Louis Riel exonerated, as a vital step towards healing the relationship between the Métis people and the Government of Canada.
 
The NDP wishes to work alongside the Métis to create a fairer, more inclusive country and to achieve Louis Riel’s vision of a Canada where there is justice and equality for all.”

[url=http://www.liberal.ca/newsroom/news-release/statement-liberal-party-cana... by Liberal Party of Canada Leader Justin Trudeau on Louis Riel Day[/url]

Quote:

The Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement on the occasion of Louis Riel Day:

“I am pleased to join Canadians, and particularly Métis communities, as we mark Louis Riel Day. This is an opportunity to pay tribute to a remarkable Manitoban and a man whose influence shaped the foundation of Canada.

“Louis Riel is remembered for his struggle and sacrifice for Métis rights. Today is an occasion to recognize and respect the history and culture of the Métis nation, as well as its contribution to building Canada. We must renew our commitment to working with Métis communities now and in the future.

“On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada and our Parliamentary Caucus, I join all Canadians in honouring this iconic Canadian and the continuing contributions of the Métis to our country.”