One of the more recognizable icons of Metis, and indeed Canadian, culture is the traditional sash.

Yes, the colours do signify certain things. For example, blue and white are the colours of the National Metis Flag. Red and white are the colours of the Metis Hunting Flag. Black symbolizes the dark period after 1870 when the Metis Nation had to endure dispossession and suppression at the hands of the Canadian government. Yellow is for the prospect of prosperity. Green signifies fertility, growth and prosperity and moving forward to claim the Metis’ rightful place in Canadian history.

Originally, the sash was essentially a belt for keeping the large capote (overcoat) that the voyageurs wore on the fur trail.

But, it was much more than that. In the bush, it became the Metis answer to the Swiss army knife.

“If you had a loose button, you took a thread from the end of your sash and sewed it back on,” said Senator Robert Lloyd. “But maybe its biggest use was to help prevent a hernia.

“In those days, you had to be able to carry 90 pounds of furs and portage with them. “If you couldn’t carry 90 pounds, you didn’t get the job.” Lloyd, along with Veterans Council Senator Guy Mandeville, then went on to list a myriad of other uses in rapid succession. “It was used as a lifeline if someone fell into the water,” Lloyd said. “And they often used to tie one end to the canoe so they wouldn’t fall out or at least so they’d still be attached to the canoe if they did fall out in the rapids.

“There’s no set length or width so they could be used for anything from a horse blanket to a makeshift bridle.” “Anything you could dream up,” said Mandeville. “They could be a towel, facecloth, even diapers sometimes. “There was even a tug-o-war game where you’d tie the ends around each other’s neck and try to pull the other guy down.” They were often used as a handy firstaide kit, becoming a sling or knee wrap in the bush.

The High Land Waters Metis Community has been holding annual Harvest Dinners for 17 years, but this one, held Saturday at the Flinton Township Hall, held a little extra significance.
Part of this year’s ceremony was to acknowledge and thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation for a grant of $75,000 which will allow the Community to begin its Traditional Knowledge Project, Metis Mamawapowuk, which will document Metis culture and knowledge in this area (which stretches from Smiths Falls to the 401 and west to the Kawarthas.

“We’ve been trying for years to start this project,” said Scott Lloyd, the Community’s president. “I’d like to also thank my sister, Candace (the Community’s secretary/treasurer) who did much of the work to make this happen.
“Our focus will be on traditional land use but also on traditional gatherings of friends, family where the history was told through stories.
“We depend greatly on our land and waterways and so want to protect the land and bring traditional knowledge forward.”
“I’d like to acknowledge that we’re on traditional First Nations land here,” said Jim Roulston, representing the Trillium Foundation. “The seed grant is to preserve the oral traditions.
“The Trillium Foundation gave out 1,000 grants last year through the Ministry of Tourism and our goal is to move people from being a passive audience to active participants in arts, culture and heritage.”
“I wish I could say the Trillium Foundation was federal but . . .” said area MP Mike Bossio. “How do we move forward with reconciliation if we don’t know where we come from?
“It’s wonderful to see this grant come forward as many are just finding out they have Metis connections and this may allow them to reconnect with their heritage.”

Candace Lloyd emceed the event and brought greetings from Margaret Froh, president of the Metis Nation of Ontario, France Picotti, chair of the Metis Nation of Ontario and Brian Tucker, associated director of Education and Way of Life who said: “This work will benefit generations far into the future because it will gather and preserve the stories and knowledge of the Metis Community.”

The Highland Waters Métis Community Council is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant to gather traditional knowledge about the Métis culture and way of life in its community. The council will work to collect this knowledge from Métis elders, traditional knowledge holders, Michif speakers, harvesters, and artists through written survey questions, oral interviews, audio/ video recordings and document research.

From their office near Northbrook, the council and its skeleton staff oversee a territory that extends southeast to Smiths Falls and to the 401 just north of Kingston and west to the edge of the Kawartha Lakes region.
“The territory is large and hard to cover,” said Candace Lloyd, Secretary/Treasurer of the council.

Handling membership issues is one of the challenges faced by the council, and Lloyd has copies of a booklet available that outlines how membership in the Metis Nations is determined. There were distinct Metis communities dotting the Ontario landscape. To qualify as a member of the Metis Nation of Ontario geneological information must be provided to establish direct descendence from a Metis ancestor. As the booklet points out, however, different terms were used in documentation over the years, and the term Metis is rare in Ontario records.

“For the most part the term Halfbreed is used and may be modified in various ways (i.e French breed, other breed, English breed, breed, etc.)” the booklet says also lists other terms, such as “Chicot, Bois-brule, Northmen, Canadian inhabitant, half caste, Indian Voyager, etc.” and the historical context of the record is taken into account as well.

One important aspect of Metis peoples and their identity is that they are distinct and not “simply groups of mixed ancestry peoples” the booklet says.
Documenting Metis knowledge is an important step in the work of the Highland Water Metis Council to help create awareness of Metis traditions and the distinct culture of the Metis in Ontario and beyond. That is why the Trillium grant comes at an opportune moment in the history of the Highland Waters Council.
With the completion of this project, the council will have documented stories of its knowledge holders that can be shared with the Métis community, especially the youth. This knowledge will be preserved and protected for future generations. This project will also help the Métis community in sharing its stories and perspectives with its First Nations neighbours, government, the broader non-Indigenous community, and others.

The council will be holding a local event to celebrate the grant during its Annual Harvest Dinner on Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 4-6pm at the Flinton Township Hall, 72 Edward Street, Flinton, Ontario. Harvest Potluck menu encouraged.
Anyone with questions can contact Candace Lloyd, High Land Waters Metis Community Council Secretary/Treasurer by phone, 613-336-1732 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Highland Waters Métis Community Council is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant to gather traditional knowledge about the Métis culture and way of life in its community. The council will work to collect this knowledge from Métis elders, traditional knowledge holders, Michif speakers, harvesters, and artists through written survey questions, oral interviews, audio/ video recordings and document research.

From their office near Northbrook, the council and its skeleton staff oversee a territory that extends southeast to Smiths Falls and to the 401 just north of Kingston and west to the edge of the Kawartha Lakes region.
“The territory is large and hard to cover,” said Candace Lloyd, Secretary/Treasurer of the council.

Handling membership issues is one of the challenges faced by the council, and Lloyd has copies of a booklet available that outlines how membership in the Metis Nations is determined. There were distinct Metis communities dotting the Ontario landscape. To qualify as a member of the Metis Nation of Ontario geneological information must be provided to establish direct descendence from a Metis ancestor. As the booklet points out, however, different terms were used in documentation over the years, and the term Metis is rare in Ontario records.
“For the most part the term Halfbreed is used and may be modified in various ways (i.e French breed, other breed, English breed, breed, etc.)” the booklet says also lists other terms, such as “Chicot, Bois-brule, Northmen, Canadian inhabitant, half caste, Indian Voyager, etc.” and the historical context of the record is taken into account as well.

One important aspect of Metis peoples and their identity is that they are distinct and not “simply groups of mixed ancestry peoples” the booklet says.
Documenting Metis knowledge is an important step in the work of the Highland Water Metis Council to help create awareness of Metis traditions and the distinct culture of the Metis in Ontario and beyond. That is why the Trillium grant comes at an opportune moment in the history of the Highland Waters Council.
With the completion of this project, the council will have documented stories of its knowledge holders that can be shared with the Métis community, especially the youth. This knowledge will be preserved and protected for future generations. This project will also help the Métis community in sharing its stories and perspectives with its First Nations neighbours, government, the broader non-Indigenous community, and others.

The council will be holding a local event to celebrate the grant during its Annual Harvest Dinner on Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 4-6pm at the Flinton Township Hall, 72 Edward Street, Flinton, Ontario. Harvest Potluck menu encouraged.
Anyone with questions can contact Candace Lloyd, High Land Waters Metis Community Council Secretary/Treasurer by phone, 613-336-1732 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.