Downtown march to celebrate the life of Louis Riel

A Grand Children of The North member dances a traditional Métis Dance during an event celebrating the life of Louis Riel, November 15 at the Kinsmen Hall. A group is to continue the celebration November 16, marching from the Prince George Courthouse to City Hall. 

By Tyler Clarke, editor of Cutbanks- the Prince George Cultural Magazine

Louis Riel, who died on November 16 1885, was part of resistance movements against the Canadian government in an attempt to preserve Métis rights and culture. Now, on the days surrounding his death, there is a yearly Canada-wide effort to help preserve the man’s memory, as well as to celebrate rich local Métis culture.

The Prince George Métis Community Association organized one such evening of traditional Métis entertainment at the Kinsmen Hall, November 15, as well as an upcoming march from the Prince George Courthouse to City Hall, to take place at 4 p.m. on November 16.

“These events are taking place across the Métis homeland, Canada,” Prince George Métis Community Association president Tom Spence told Cutbanks at the November 15 event. “We get together and celebrate Louis Riel’s life.”
This yearly celebration is still important because of the ongoing movement that Riel started in the 19th century to preserve Métis culture, Spence added.

“He started the Métis movement with all the letters he wrote to the Canadian government to hear the Métis people and their land claims,” he said.  

The November 15 event sported a nearly-full Kinsmen Hall worth of people in full support of Métis, enjoying a banquet of food and traditional Métis entertainment, including the Grand Children of The North youth jiggers. Musician Rick Stavely also performed.

This is one of four yearly events that the Prince George Métis Community Association organizes every year that help promote Métis culture. There is also a Christmas party with elders that takes place sometime during the first two weeks of December, Metis Heritage Day on June 21, and a Turkey Shoot, which consists of shooting paper targets and various family-friendly activities.

A group of people are scheduled to march from the Prince George Courthouse to City Hall, beginning at 4 p.m. on Monday November 16. Upon their arrival at City Hall there is to be a series of performances, including one by the Grand Children of The North.