Michif Languages Oral History Project 1996

The Michif Languages Project 1996 was a joint project between the Manitoba Métis Federation and Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Citizenship. The work for the project was carried out through the Louis Riel Institute. The goal of the project was to research the oral history of the Métis People of Manitoba who spoke Michif languages. Initially, research would have been carried out in each of the seven regions, however, the original proposal was revised, and the research was then concentrated in the southwest area. The Louis Riel Institute engaged the services of Don Fleury to conduct interviews with survivors of the Métis community of Ste. Madeleine who spoke Michif languages.Ste. Madeleine no longer exists physically today due to the forceful removal of the Métis from their lands to make way for community pasture for Euro-Canadian farmers. The survivors and families, many of which still live in nearby communities, return every year for Ste. Madeleine Days.Don Fleury interviewed seven elders for the project and gathered approximately 10 hours of audio. When the contents of the interviews were analyzed, the dynamics and uniqueness of the languages became evident upon listening to the speakers. The speakers sometimes spoke both Michif Cree and Michif French and occasionally switched languages mid-conversation with ease.The interviews document the first time the Michif Cree language was identified and recorded in southwestern Manitoba.