Learning Michif

What better way to celebrate Louis Riel Day than to start (or continue) learning Michif?

It’s been 130 years since the Métis people said goodbye to leader Louis Riel. And every year on the anniversary of his death, November 16, 1885, (as well as a Monday in February, since different provinces celebrate on different days) the Métis take the time to remember a hero, a visionary and one of the fathers of Manitoba.

Michif is the language spoken by the Métis, along with English, French, Cree, Ojibway and other languages, and is an important part of the culture. It’s a combination of French and Cree and is endangered because there fewer than 1000 people who speak it.

Interested in learning Michif? There are plenty of resources online to get you started.

Check out learnmichif.com, a website presented by Métis Youth British Columbia and the Métis Nation BC, that includes historical information, language lessons, videos and games.

The Métis Nation of Ontario’s website includes a number of resources on the Michif language — for example, audio and video recordings and a bilingual workbook.

The Gabriel Dumont Institute has a virtual dictionary of Michif words and phrases and the Louis Riel Institute’s website includes lessons geared towards families.

Do you have any go-to Michif resources?

Image source: fortprovidencemetiscouncil.ca