5 things to know about Riel House this summer

July 26, 2024

_{Through funding from the Manitoba Métis Federation, the Louis Riel Institute is proud to offer interactive tour opportunities for all to enjoy this 2024 season.}

Are you looking for an enjoyable and educational summer experience? Interested in an engaging activity suitable for both children and adults? At Riel House, you can step back in time to the spring of 1886 and get to know the Riel family through historic interpreters.

Discover how the Riel-Lagimodière family of 11 made their home in a cozy 600-square-foot house. Be amazed as you learn about river lots, the Red River frame construction, and the life of Manitoba's beloved founder, Louis Riel.

Located at 330 River Road in St. Vital, visitors can get a firsthand look at how the Riel family lived in the 1800s. If that isn't enough to persuade you, tours are free for Red River Métis Citizens, making it a fun and accessible family activity that promotes connection with our Métis culture and history and commemoration of Louis Riel, the first Premier of Manitoba.

Here is everything you need to know about visiting the National Historic Site this summer.

1. Riel House is a major part of Manitoba's history

_{Visitors to Riel House will learn about a wide range of topics like Métis river lots, Red River frame construction,
and the remarkable story of our founding father, Louis Riel.}

The province of Manitoba would not be where we are today without the remarkable contributions of Louis Riel, our founding father who valiantly safeguarded our Homeland. Despite his role in protecting the rights of the Red River Métis, he was unjustly executed for high treason in November 1885. Following his execution, his remains were respectfully placed in the Riel-Lagimodière's family living room for a period of two days in December of 1885, before his final resting place in Saint-Boniface Cathedral Cemetery.

The Riel-Lagimodière family first settled into the house in 1864. The home was occupied by descendants of the family until 1969. This remarkable plot of land, initially a long and slender area stretching towards the Red River, honours and preserves the vibrant history of Métis river lots.

The house itself is a fantastic architectural gem that perfectly captures the essence of 19th-century francophone Métis homes that occupied the Homeland at the time. Visitors of Riel House can learn more about this Red River frame construction and the unique characteristics it holds.

2. The Louis Riel Institute offers Métis-focused educational programming

_{The Louis Riel Institute is proud to offer interactive tour opportunities for all to enjoy this 2024 season.}

Through funding from the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF), the Louis Riel Institute (LRI) is proud to offer interactive tour opportunities for all to enjoy throughout the 2024 season. LRI has put in great efforts to organize a diverse range of programs and events aimed at promoting and preserving our Red River Métis heritage.

Each Saturday, Riel House offers a variety of workshops that encompass traditional Red River Métis skills and activities, including Michif language sessions, beadwork and weaving demonstrations, lively jigging sessions, live music, and even spoons playing.

The National Historic Site fosters community engagement by hosting cookouts, musical performances, traditional dances, and other events that embody our distinct Red River Métis identity.

3. Riel House Garden grows food for the Red River Métis

_{Riel House Garden grows dozens of different fruits, vegetables, and herbs.}

Riel House has expertly designed gardens that showcase a variety of native plant species. These plants have been carefully planted and nurtured by the highly skilled Parks Canada volunteer master gardeners.

As of 2021, the MMF has taken on the responsibility of caring for the Riel House Food Security Garden, and the surrounding flowers and native plant species. Our Energy, Infrastructure, and Resource Management (EIRM) Department employs Red River Métis Youth to care for the gardens throughout the season, tasking them with planting, plant care, and harvesting produce we later distribute to our Elders during harvesting season. In addition to these immediate tasks, summer staff are taught to identify the wide range of plant species in these gardens so they can share their knowledge with visitors.

The garden grows dozens of different fruits, vegetables, and herbs, in addition to demonstrating the "Three Sisters Planting" method of planting corn, beans, and squash together. In 2023, MMF staff distributed 730 pounds of produce to Elders and Citizens in need and hope to distribute 1,000 pounds by the end of this year's planting season.

For more information on the Riel House Garden and the MMF Food Security Initiative, please email agriculture@mmf.mb.ca, or visit mmf.mb.ca/agriculture.

4. There are amazing opportunities for students and employees

_{Riel House offers employment opportunities for the entire summer season-
including student positions and internship programs.}

Thanks to the financial support of the MMF's Métis Employment and Training Department, Riel House employs Red River Métis students throughout the summer season. These students often work as the main interpreters and tour guides, adding to the experiences of those visiting the site.

In addition to paid positions for university students, the Riel House internship program offers an exceptional opportunity to high school students interested in delving deeper into Red River Métis history through the guidance and mentorship of our knowledgeable interpreters.

Employment opportunities extend beyond students as well. Riel House encourages all who are interested in deepening their knowledge of Red River Métis culture, engaging in the world of traditional art, and being representatives of our rich history to apply to work at the site. LRI also encourages staff to return year after year, ensuring stable and rewarding seasonal employment.

New this year, LRI has created a campaign to collect and share their personal stories to see how working at Riel House has influenced them on both personal and professional levels. This endeavour also serves as an exceptional platform for individuals to reminisce and share their memories from visiting our site. This campaign acts as a tool to make each experience better than the last for its participants.

5. In collaboration with LRI, Riel House offers fun tours and events

_{LRI offers bus tours where visitors can follow Louis Riel's procession route from
Riel House to his eternal resting place in Saint-Boniface.}

Riel House warmly welcomes the public for captivating tours, where visitors can embark on a fascinating journey exploring the life of Louis Riel, the founder of Manitoba.

LRI offers bus tours where visitors will have the opportunity to follow the Riel procession route from Riel House to his eternal resting place in Saint-Boniface. Visitors will also have the chance to stroll the Riel Senior walkway, which includes the site where Louis Riel Sr.'s mill was located.

The fun doesn't stop with bus tours, either. LRI has some special events lined up for the rest of the summer, including Midsummer Kids' Day at Riel House on July 27 and the annual Corn Roast on August 24.

To book a tour or discover the events taking place this season, reach out to LRI via email at rielhouse@lrilearn.ca or call 204-984-9480. Don't miss all the fun happening at Riel House this summer!

 

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