C365 - Mary Spence (née Genaille)

The Métis Oral History Project (1984) was conducted as a summer employment project through the Provincial Archives of Manitoba. Its purpose was to create oral history materials documenting the history and culture of the Manitoba Métis people.

The project was oriented toward one specific settlement – Saint-Laurent whose population is largely Métis and whose relative isolation and resource-based economy were thought to have fostered the preservation of Métis heritage. Selected individuals from all walks of life were interviewed in order to provide a representative profile of the community. The research and interviews were conducted by Nicole J.M. St-Onge, a graduate student in anthropology and history who had previously studied another Manitoba Métis community.

The interviews are in the form of life histories. They provide data on ethnic and class divisions, family life, education, work, religious customs, entertainment, cooking, language and folklore. The interviews are in French except where otherwise indicated.