Within the rich lineage of Alberta Métis Cultural History and indigenous history overall, Joyce Parenteau offers up her own experiences.
When asked what it means to Parenteau to be Métis, she stated, “Way back in my grandpa’s time, he was living in Wabasca and I don’t know, he must have heard that the settlements were opening up. Then he couldn’t really have a place over there anymore in Wabasca. So that’s what we always wondered: how come he moved? But I think that’s probably why he did, why he chose Paddle along the way, I don’t know. But anyway, we moved there and we got to Paddle that I wasn’t even born yet. We got to Paddle in 1939 and were one of the first settlers.”
The pride of being Metis resonated with Parenteau throughout the conversation. Some of the traditions of her time in Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement ie/ gathering berries, jigging, and traditional storytelling are seemingly being phased out. Younger generations seem to be missing that but it’s admittedly hard for Parenteau to tell.
Childhood memories abounded and included homemade games and being resourceful among your loved ones. Parenteau said, “Whatever dolls that we made out of wood chips and dress up for my grandmother quilt remains and patches and stuff. Things that we’re able to do and just still get along.”
There was a strong sense of community togetherness in PPMS among all families. Many group meals were shared together and there was a real reverence for going to Church on Sundays.
Alberta Métis Cultural History
In terms of the earliest members moving into Paddle Prairie in 1938/ 1939 and the challenges/ successes they faced, Parenteau said, “Yeah, it will like very few people that lived here and I guess the people that weren’t Métis had to leave. So the challenges that my parents must have faced and grandparents was finding accommodations. Building and fixing houses that they could live in. Not getting their animals and their stuff together to continue to live in. What was important to people long ago helped one another. If your neighbor needed help with something, building a roof, or whatever they go help.”
Parenteau continued, “And that was working together and surviving together. Sharing stuff that they had you know like people would hunt and somebody killed the moose because there wasn’t that many people at the beginning. So they’d share all that and that…It was altogether a group and they just work together and help one another. So different now.”
In mentioning hunting practices, the Metis made a point to utilize every part of the animal. To not let anything go to waste from the creature. Ethical hunting practices so as to not destroy the ecosystem and keep things sustainable were also paramount to the PPMS community. Her uncle Gene hunted and in terms of gathering medicines and the like, Parenteau’s mother-in-law would collect peppermint and rat root.
Several things in PPMS nature cannot be measured by science but Parenteau knows instinctively to be true. She said, “What I do know is some of the things, and that’s the true thing, is that like you go by the nature stuff. Like if it’s a nice sunsets, a nice pink red sunset, you know it’s going to be a nice day tomorrow. But in the morning, a different like red in the morning, then it’s not going to be a good day. And people were able to like…the old hunters and trappers and my uncle, they could tell by the animal behavior in the bushes how things are going to be.”
Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement
Parenteau continued, “Some years there was a lot of rabbits. Then when there’s a lot of rabbits, there was a lot of coyotes as well. Nature just took its course like that. And berry picking, there are certain areas that you can pick berries. And they were quite plentiful, but we never did have blueberries or cranberries up in our area. They have to go some other places to pick but still they try to maintain berry-picking patches and stuff because of course that’s what we had to do. And they did a lot of canning and my mother used to do a lot of canning for berries for sure. And from the gardens that they grew, things like that.”
Though she never spoke Michif much herself, Parenteau’s father lived in an era that she described as being blessed. A linguistically vibrant time with three languages being spoken: English, Cree, and French.
In terms of the most important things that Parenteau would want to preserve and pass on to future generations, she stated, “Well, our spirituality for one thing, is always (the) main thing for me to do. Also our language and our ways of life that we do. Gardening is always important to me and to self-sustain yourself and it’s a little bit hard work. But it’s something that we as young people my age grew up with, and we still do. And especially now, things are so expensive.”
Parenteau continued, “Like me, I have a little garden where I live and I’ll always have a garden as long as I can maintain it. Because that’s how we grew up. They had our own food and had wild meat and stuff like that. And all the canning that they used to do is still good. When I was younger, my own family did a lot of canning, berry picking and you know, there’s some things, I guess generally people do that in every kind of society. And to include the spirituality, laughter, dancing, and happiness. You know, that’s what we always seem to grow up with.”
Joyce Parenteau
Finally, when asked “how can we work together to ensure Paddle Prairie has a bright future and path forward?”, Parenteau quipped, “That’s a good one. Yeah, we have to learn to live together, work together, play together, you know? But how do you do that when things interfere? Like for now, for example, years ago again, I’ll go back ’cause. That’s what I remember, is that people had dances at their homes. There was no drinking, you know, stuff like that. They’d have sports days and people just help one another… So they’d have a good time and get together and gather and have fun.”
Parenteau continued, “And now you don’t have that because people want to be paid. And then you don’t find volunteers anymore. You know, ‘I’m not going to do that. I don’t get paid’ kind of attitude, but that’s something that we have to learn to do is help one another and work together. So we can accomplish and have a good stable community. People helping one another, that’s what’s important. (A) lot of people in the family, sure they do that but together. All together with other families.That’s important that they work together and do things together.”
Liberty Multimedia Inc. and Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement would like to thank Alberta Culture for its support of these interviews and dedication to preserving Alberta’s history.