In honour of Métis Awareness Month, this November at Wildflower students have been learning about different aspects of Métis culture. Students learned about the Métis sash and its many historical uses and cultural significance, as well as the meaning of the six main colours. 

•Holding the coat closed or the pants up 

• Muffler or scarf 

• Sling, bandage or tourniquet 

• Washcloth 

• Bridle/saddle blanket 

• Trail marker or sewing kit (by removing the threads at the end of the sash) 

• Pocket 

• Tumpline - back support when holding heavy objects 

• A rope (useful to portage canoes) 

• Identifying one’s kill in a buffalo hunt 

• As a calendar system (threads were used to mark days on the trapline) 

Red – Is for the blood of the Métis that was shed through the years while fighting for our rights.  

Blue – Is for the depth of our spirits.  

Green – Is for the fertility of a great Nation.  

White– Is for our connection to the earth and our Creator.  

Gold - is for Prosperity and Honor.  

Small strands of Black - Represents colonization, the loss of our language, Cultural disconnect, Residential Schools

Students also had the opportunity to learn a simple 4 strand version of the Métis finger weaving technique that is often used to make sashes, and can take 300+ hours to complete! They had the choice of making a bracelet or a bookmark using this finger weaving technique.

Students in the Indigenous Education program also got together in small groups to make Bannock to enjoy and share with the whole school and to learn about the historical context of Bannock as a survival food and a symbol of resistance. This time together is wonderful for students to make new connections with each other and share their cultural backgrounds to learn more about each other.