Culture & History
Artisan Spotlight
Tansi! I come from the Métis community of North Vermilion Settlement (Buttertown), an old Métis settlement just across from Fort Vermilion, Alberta. Fort Vermilion and the surrounding area is rich in Métis history and was a vital port during the Hudson’s Bay trading era and I am proud to say I come from a long line of hunting and trading Métis men and brilliant maker, sewing, and culinary Métis women. I was raised outside of my community and as I became a young woman, it became vital for me to connect with my culture, people, and land, which led me to beadwork.
Following the devastating flood to Fort Vermilion in 2020, I was given the opportunity to participate in community wellness work with the Fort Vermilion Métis Local 74 offering residents connections with resources and wellness workshops that emphasized reconnection to culture. The Fort Vermilion Métis Local was able to offer many cultural workshops such as drum making, fish scale art, and traditional knowledge sessions with topics like resiliency and healing.
My favourite part of my role was being able to facilitate beading and ribbon skirt making workshops to residents. As a young Métis woman who has worked to reconnect with my culture, I know the feelings of confusion, anger, and imposter syndrome all too well, and helping other Métis women gain confidence in reconnection is a value held closely to my heart.
Please email me at alexalizotte@gmail.com for any custom work.
HONOURING OUR ELDERS
Ruth Kidder
A great woman to whom we say thank you, Your great sense of humour, mentoring and beautiful smile. We will miss your leadership, no one needs to ask why. Knowing all this will make your retirement worthwhile.
Your contributions and all the time that you spent, Working with youth and the elders throughout the years, Will always be talked about and remembered And well respected by all your peers. The commitment to the Metis Nation of Alberta With all of your experiences that you left in your past Are going to be great memories for us all Lifelong learning will forever last.
You were always respected and honoured in our family From being the oldest and leading us all. If we were not sure of some challenges in life We knew that we just had to give you a call. So, as you say goodbye to the working world We hope that you have a great rest. When it comes to leadership, mentoring and teaching And helping in any way, you are one of the best.
-Love Keith
Violet MacKenzie
She was a long-time resident of the Peace River area. Many of you may remember the beautiful dreamcatchers; shields; moccasins; jewellery; manger scenes and the various handcrafted items she made and at many of Metis Nation of Alberta functions throughout the years.
To Violet, family was important she was a daughter, a sister, a mother, a wife, and a kokum. To provide for her family Violet also valued her career. She worked tirelessly to contribute to the community of Peace River through her employment with Alberta Manpower (Employment Services today); Native Brotherhood (Peace River Correctional Centre); & Native Counselling Services of Alberta.
Violet was a role model and an advocate. Her compassion and dedication to her community and the people she served was also reflected in her many hours of service as a volunteer on our Regional steering committee for Children’s Services; the Sagitawa Native Friendship Centre; the Metis Nation of Alberta locals, and Violet was also instrumental and one of the founding committee members of the Aboriginal Interagency Committee.
Thank you Violet for your humility; your kind and gentle nature; and your many years of service to your community and our people.
Benita Galandy
On October 21, 2021, Grande Prairie resident Benita Galandy was honored as one of three recipients to receive the Ministers Seniors Service Award.
The Minister’s Seniors Service Awards recognize individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations who support seniors, lead the way for improved services and contribute to strong communities.
On Alberta.ca it says, "Benita is a generous volunteer who has dedicated much of her time, knowledge, and resources to improving the lives of seniors in her community. Her work involves supporting a shelter for at-risk seniors. As a dedicated volunteer at the shelter, Benita strives to ensure seniors have a safe place to call home. She prepares meals, cleans and maintains the facility, and provided additional help, such as transportation to medical appointments and delivering essentials. Benita also developed a framework to address social isolation and ensure seniors in her community have access to the supports they need".
Benita has contributed more than 8,000 volunteer hours since the start of the pandemic.
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