Within the rich lineage of Alberta Métis Cultural History and indigenous history overall, Kathy Omoth offers up her own experiences.
When posited the question of “who are the Métis people and what it means to you?”, Omoth said, “Well, first and foremost, because there’s such a big argument about it is I have treaty in my family and I have white in my family. To me that’s what a Métis is. The Treaty and the white came together to form the Métis. That’s what it is for me, what Métis is. That’s my identity. I grew up as Halfbreed. Didn’t grow up as a Métis. I grew up as a Halfbreed and I still consider myself a Halfbreed today, which means treaty and Métis. Simple as far as I’m concerned.”
Early childhood memories in the settlement really radiated that “do it yourself” kind of ethos. Hard work, respecting elders, and maintaining positivity among different families made up the backbone of the Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement as well.
In terms of some of the Métis cultural practices that are especially important to Omoth, she stated, “Farming is a big big big Métis cultural practice. It is because when they were given the land because before that they had nothing. Well, there’s the hunting, fishing, and trapping which are a given right. We do them here. My son does them. My Dakota, Chester does them all. You know all of that stuff. We do it on a regular basis. But the things like farming is a big Métis culture and people forgot about that. That’s how families were sustained at first in Paddle Prairie is through farming and feeding their families.”
Alberta Métis Cultural History
Omoth continued, “With a garden and grain farming, even though it was small, you know. But as people got further and further ahead doing that. You know, they got… Small farming compared to big farming. They eat up the little farmers, but you can still make a good living at farming. You can, it’s hard work morning till night, as long as that sun is shining, you’re working and you don’t have any downtime, right? So that’s the hard part about it, but it’s a big thing. Farming in Métis culture. People forget though.”
In terms of hunting, her father was a trapper and fisherman. It became a family activity when the boys all went out. Omoth would feed the cows at home with her mother and contribute to things in that way. The importance of not letting any part of an animal you hunt go to waste was instilled in settlement members as youths. Tongues, hooves, and belly flaps can be used if even to feed/ generally benefit family dogs.
Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement
Ethical hunting is also essential too but many outsider forces have been known to overhunt and spoil things for others looking to get their fair share. Omoth’s contributions came more in a gathering capacity; bringing in things like dandelions, rat root, and berries for medicinal as well as nutritional purposes. She also presently grows tobacco plants because offering tobacco is a traditional practice.
When considering if still practicing the traditional Michif language and if that is still important, Omoth stated, “Ah, yes, and Dakota was learning it in school. So there you go, my son. And his kids, they all do it. And Dakota brings little cards or… Jason brings cards and they’re still around the house where it’s the keyword is there. We say Cree word. It’s Michif. That’s what Daddy spoke. He spoke French, English, and Michif, and then when somebody would come from another community, and it wasn’t Michif, it was Cree. And Daddy often said that but Daddy understood, right? Most of them did, right?”
Kathy Omoth
Omoth continued, “It didn’t matter what community you came from, If you spoke Cree or it was Michif for you know they’re all still yes. But Daddy would sit there for hours and talk Cree with these people, and we’re just like…You know it was awesome. We were just, you know. And then Walter Larger had come over and Daddy speak straight French. We were just wow, like another language.”
Language and cultural practices are something that Omoth would like to see continue onward in a generational sense. A return to more social interactions and even a communal garden in a post-pandemic society of getting ever readjusted with getting together once more.
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.