One of the Family

In recent years there has been growing interest in identifying the social and cultural attributes that define the Metis as both Aboriginal and a distinct people. The study of Metis identity formation has also emerged as an innovative way to explore cultural encounters and change in North American history and anthropology.

In One of the Family Brenda Macdougall employs the concept of wahkootowin – the Cree term for a worldview that privileges family and values interconnectedness – to trace the emergence of a Metis community in northern Saskatchewan. Wahkootowin describes how relationships in the nineteenth century were supposed to work and helps to explain how the Metis negotiated with fur trade companies and the Roman Catholic Church while nurturing a society that emphasized family obligation and responsibility.

This path-breaking study offers a model for future research and discussion that will appeal to anyone interested in the history of the fur trade or Metis culture and identity.