i wanna just talk a little bit about I identify or speak to belonging. for a long time, and still, I say I am a Cree-Metis woman whose family is from Ile-la-Crosse, SK, but I grew up in Treaty 8 territory in Northeast BC.

I say Cree-Metis as opposed to Metis because it speaks to the specific kinship connections that make up my family. Sometimes, the only thing that separates the "Metis" from the "Cree" is a paper in history. Cree is also the language we speak, and where our stories come from.

NOW I would never say I'm Cree, cuz I'm not. I am speaking to a SPECIFIC place and belonging. I am purposeful in saying that my family comes from Ile-la-Crosse, SK because that is the Metis community my family is from. It's where my kin lay and kin live.

I purposefully tell people I great up in Treaty 8 territory in Northern BC, because I did, lol. I want to remind myself and those who are listening, the duty I have to recognize I grew up out of my own territory.

I grew up in the lands of the Danne-Za, Saulteaux, and Cree peoples.

I have recently been using āpihtaw'kos'ān because I was told this is how we say Metis in our language. I like this because honestly, I'm sick as frick of Metis politics and think we can and should begin to move beyond the monolithic idea of Metis culture

and remember our community specific connections and belonging. this doesn't mean we aren't a Metis people, but like... culturally speaking I have nothing in common with a Southern Manitoba Metis. you see what I mean?

ANYWAY I just wanted to be transparent because I think these conversations are important. I also always want to bring to light the complexity of Metis belonging so it stops getting whitewashed.