Michif Language Conference 1985

In 1984, the Manitoba Métis Federation formed the Michif Languages Committee to address concerns surrounding the loss of culture and identity of the Métis, due to declining language prevalence. The work undertaken by the committee researched, recorded, and preserved the linguistic heritage of the Métis through a series of conferences, field research projects, and networking with interested individuals, institutions, and governments.Through the committee's work came the first official Michif Languages that took place June 26 to 28, 1985, at the Brittany Inn in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Seventy delegates attended the conference from various Métis communities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and North Dakota. The conference gathered language speakers together to discuss the various languages spoken by the Métis, with a focus on Michif, Michif French, and Saulteaux.