Lethbridge College will host Métis Sash Day on Thursday, November 16, 2023. (Photo: Lethbridge College)

By Joel Mendelson

Lethbridge College to host Métis Sash Day

Nov 14, 2023 | 11:28 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge College will honour the culture and history of the Métis community, with Métis Sash Day on Thursday, November 16, 2023.

Each year on November 16, the Canadian Métis people pay tribute to the Right Honourable Louis Riel. Riel was a politician who spent his life defending Métis rights. He was executed by the Canadian government in 1885.

The Métis Sash Day will officially begin with a prayer and opening remarks at Centre Core at 9:00 a.m. It will be followed up by a flag raising with Métis students.

From 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., there will be various kiosks and installments in Centre Core. There will be a Métis vendor market with arts and crafts tables, a Lethbridge area Métis genealogist, representatives from the Rupertsland Institute and more.

A complimentary lunch of buffalo stew, bannock and cookies will be served at 11:30 at the Centre Core kiosk.

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Brittany Lee, organizer of Métis Sash Day and academic advisor for Indigenous focus said, “I am so excited to have the opportunity to bring our vibrant and beautiful Métis/Michif culture to Lethbridge College.”

She continued, “We have a growing number of Métis students on campus and it’s important that they feel represented. Events like Métis Sash Day help to foster that sense of belonging, and I encourage everyone to join in on Thursday to learn more about the Métis community – our identity, culture, history and contributions.”

Morning events include two guest speakers.

Troy Bannerman, Lethbridge and Area Métis council member, will speak at 10:00 a.m. He will deliver a presentation on Métis heritage and identity. The presentation will focus on geography and distance traveled by the Métis, in order to demonstrate how Métis families are connected to both the land and each other.

Byron Anderson, Lethbridge College’s director of government and public affairs and board of governance officer, will speak at 11:00 a.m. He will share his own journey of reconnecting with his Métis culture and how everyone has their own path.

Afternoon activities will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in The Cave (CE1300). These activities include storytelling, a cultural showcase, dancing and music.

One of the Rupertsland Institute’s Mobile Employment Services units named “the Métis Coureur de Bois” will also be at the college from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

You do not need to be a college student to attend Métis Sash Day, with all community members invited.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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