The word Métis is derived from a French word meaning ‘mixed’, which is fitting because it is a word used to describe people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry. The term métis was first used in the 1700’s when European settlers used it to describe the children with Indigenous and European parents. Even though métis people are of mixed descent, it is important to note that they still have distinct cultural practices that are separate from both Indigenous and European culture.

Examples:

Métis – noun

1. Métis were recognized as one of Canada’s three Indigenous peoples in 1982.
2. The term métis (mixed race individuals with European and First Nations descent) was first used in the 17th century, where settlers used it in reference to the children of Europeans and Indigenous peoples.
3. In Western Canada’s Prairies, the Métis (self-identifying with distinct descent from the source of where their ancestors came from) people hunt bison with their traditional hunting practices.