Manitoba Métis celebrate milestone anniversary

In the past fifteen years we've succeeded in waking up a lot of Métis people in Manitoba to really find their roots. So it's an important anniversary for us.

—Robert Allard, Vice President, L'Union nationale métisse Saint-Joseph du Manitoba

This weekend Manitoba's Métis will be celebrating their heritage and you are invited to come along for the historical journey.

On Saturday morning, the annual Cuthbert Grant Day will take place at Grant's Old Mill on Portage Avenue. Grant is often considered the first leader of the Métis Nation, whose historical significance is frequently overshadowed by Louis Riel. Because of this, hundreds of Cuthbert Grant's descendents gather in this fair city to keep the record straight.

This year's event is expected to be the biggest ever, as Lord James Grant, of Scotland's Grant Clan, will be the honorary guest amongst the hundreds of other Grant decedents. There will also be some stellar festivities including musical acts, bannock, and bagpipes (oh, those Scottish).  

As well, all weekend long L'Union nationale métisse Saint-Joseph du Manitoba will be celebrating their 125th anniversary, which will feature a gala performance on Saturday, starting at 6 p.m. with over a dozen top notch groups playing at the Saint-Boniface Cathedral.

"In the past fifteen years we've succeeded in waking up a lot of Métis people in Manitoba to really find their roots" said Robert Allard, Vice President, L'Union nationale métisse Saint-Joseph du Manitoba. "So it's an important anniversary for us."   

Tickets to the performance at the Saint-Boniface Cathedral may be hard to come by, but you will still be able to check out the performances for Cuthbert Grant Day at Grant's Old Mill including: Gérald Laroche, Sierra Noble, and Ray St.Germain, to name but a few.

So come on Manitoba, go party it up like our forefathers did.