From ashes to honour: Red River Métis reclaim Ste. Madeleine

July 25, 2024

_{On the opening day of Ste. Madeleine Métis Days, President David Chartrand and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew righted a historical wrong by signing a memorandum of understanding, which - among other things - immediately returns
100 acres of land to the Red River Métis.}

Red River Métis Citizens gathered in Ste. Madeleine from July 19-21, 2024, to witness history and pay their respects to a once thriving Red River Métis community.

The village was razed to the ground by the government in 1939 to create space for cattle pasture. Citizens returned home from their summer's labour to find ashes where there had once been homes and a community. Families found their clothing, household supplies, schoolbooks, and food torched, and dogs shot. Oral tradition has suggested that Ste. Madeleine's church was dismantled and used to build a pig barn in St. Lazare.

On the opening day of Ste. Madeleine Métis Days, President David Chartrand and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew righted a historical wrong by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which - among other things - immediately returns 100 acres of land to the Red River Métis.

"I made a promise to the people of Ste. Madeleine and the families: one day, there will be a time when this injustice will be set right," said President Chartrand. "One day, there will be a leader that'll come to us. We waited for over half a century for this. And that leader is here now. His name is Wab Kinew."

The MOU was signed by President Chartrand; Premier Kinew; Minister John Fleury, Executive of the Southwest Region and descendant of Ste. Madeleine; and Gambler First Nation Chief David LeDoux at the site where Ste. Madeleine once existed, with a large standing ovation. Red River Métis MLAs Bernadette Smith, Minister of Housing, Addictions, and Homelessness; and Renée Cable, Minister of Advanced Education and Training, also attended the ceremony.

"The goal of what we're trying to accomplish here is to right a historical wrong. My presence here as the Premier of Manitoba is to indicate what was done to Red River Métis here in the past was wrong and should never have taken place," said Premier Kinew, adding that the signing marked a new day in Manitoba. "You have a Red River Métis National Government in the MMF. You, as Red River Métis Citizens, have more opportunity, education, wealth, and potential in the future to achieve more than before, and you have a friend in the provincial government here in Manitoba."

The MOU marks the first step in returning the land to the National Government of the Red River Métis. The MMF, Government of Manitoba, and Gambler First Nation will work behind the scenes to iron out the details and put the memorandum into motion. President Chartrand said there have been many ideas of what will become of the land.

"One of the commitments we will be making is that a monument will be built here. We will recognize and ensure that every family and every name will be enshrined here to remember and never forget what happened to them and what happened to our people," he said.

_{Saturday's opening ceremony featured a Red River Métis cart, which was transported in by horse and
parked at the front of the grounds.}

The site is located in the Municipality of Russell-Binscarth. Hundreds of Red River Métis settled in Ste. Madeleine in the late 1800s and early 1900s, following the reign of terror that happened in the heart of the Homeland, which is now Winnipeg.

President Chartrand said Ste. Madeleine is the first piece of land taken from the Red River Métis that has been given back.

"It bothers me and every Métis family here that a cow can be worth more than a Métis life, worth more than a Métis child, Elder, or loved one. No one in this country said, 'no.' No one in this country said, 'it's wrong. You can't shoot their dogs and burn their houses.' How can that be that no one stood up?" he said.

Gambler First Nation borders the lands of Ste. Madeleine and both the Red River Métis and the First Nation have residents buried in the cemetery. Chief LeDoux said it was an honour to be a part of the signing.

"My grandfather and the Métis built a church at Gambler (First Nation), and that was done (by) a handshake," he said. "I was proud that (President) David Chartrand phoned me and asked me to be a part of this. We did a handshake, but now we have to do things on paper."

After the signing, many Citizens gathered for photos of the Premier and President, all while thanking the pair for this act of reconciliation.

"It's a proud day to show that the Red River Métis Government doesn't back away. We never forget, and we never give up. Be proud today to be Red River Métis," said President Chartrand.

_{Many Red River Métis musicians graced the stage throughout Ste. Madeleine Métis Days, including the
DJ St. Germain Band, who played a tribute to the late Ray St. Germain.}

Three days of culture, community, and music

Many hundreds of Red River Métis Citizens converged on Ste. Madeleine Métis Days, hosted by the MMF, in partnership with the Southwest Region and the Ste. Madeleine Heritage Local. Many made the trip from as far as Ontario, British Columbia, and the United States to celebrate Red River Métis culture.

Saturday's opening ceremony featured a Red River Métis cart made by Armand Jerome, which was transported in by horse and parked at the front of the grounds. The three-day gathering was also filled with some of the best Red River Métis music, including the Dutiaume Band, Gary Lepine Band, A.R Cash, and a special tribute to Red River Métis legend Ray St. Germain, featuring his son, the DJ St. Germain Band.

Red River Métis Citizens had opportunities to participate in competitions throughout the weekend, including a cribbage tournament, a bannock-making competition, jigging contests, bingo, and a slingshot contest. Citizens also had the opportunity to attend workshops about Red River Métis culture, like jigging, bannock making, snare making, beadwork, kids' activities, and more.

On Sunday, Mass was held on the cemetery grounds. At the beginning of the ceremony, in a symbolic gesture, Red River Métis Citizens, led by President Chartrand, carried and erected a new cross on the grounds due to the old one being damaged several years ago.

"To see it being raised again here in memory of our ancestors in Ste. Madeleine and all of the descendants throughout the years to come - it's a symbol of the hardship, trauma, love, and joy that our people have felt over the years, and it will stand in memoriam forever," said Minister Fleury.

_{On Sunday, Mass was held on the cemetery grounds. At the beginning of the ceremony, in a symbolic gesture, Red River Métis Citizens, led by President Chartrand, carried and erected a new cross on the grounds due to
the old one being damaged several years ago.}

Preserving our history

The connection to these lands runs much deeper for some than attending Ste. Madeleine Métis Days once a year. Gail Welburn holds a familial connection to the grounds and said the MOU signing was huge for her.

"My grandfather was displaced from our area here. He was 27 years old when his dog was shot, and his home was burnt," she told MMF Spotlight. "For us, it's come full circle. It's come back today. I'm here today in respect and recognition of what my grandpa went through on this land."

Welburn first came to Ste. Madeleine three years ago. She said one of her biggest regrets was that her grandfather always wanted to bring her to the historic site, but she was busy working and being a mom.

"My grandfather isn't here any longer, so I missed a wonderful opportunity," she said. "It makes me very proud because I know the people here went through a lot. It's been a long wait. My mom is too old to travel here for the celebration, but I'm here, and I'll take the message home and say, 'it's ours again.'"

Minister Fleury also holds Ste. Madeleine very close to his heart. His grandparents moved to Ste. Madeleine and lived on the lands, and his father, Elder George Fleury, was born in Ste. Madeleine in 1935, and witnessed the destruction of the town firsthand.

"When they came home, all they saw were the stove chimneys, stones, and the bedposts because the government had burned out their homes and shot their dogs. My father often tells the story of how when they topped the rise, all he saw was his dad's shoulders going up and down, weeping," Minister Fleury told MMF Spotlight. "It's incomprehensible to know that everything you own is gone because they wanted to put cattle out here in place of the Métis people."

As one of the signatories of the MOU, Minister Fleury said the signing was an emotional moment for him, and he's glad to see the wheels in motion to rectify an injustice that should have been resolved years ago.

"It was such a historical moment for the descendants of Ste. Madeleine. We've lost generations of our Elders through the years, and they always believed that someday we would get Ste. Madeleine back - and this is just the beginning," he said. "It's such a phenomenal, historical, emotional day. There were many descendants and friends of the Métis in the audience, and when we were doing the signing, the tears were flowing freely. That's how much it meant to us. It pulled at the heart."

 

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