Beyond the Battlefield: Gabriel Dumont and Métis Leadership (1837-1885)

Abstract

Despite the fact that is has been over a century since the 1885 North-West Resistance, the Métis and their struggle for political rights remain. Kinship, diplomacy, and community continue to be contemporary issues and sources of conflict between the Métis of Saskatchewan and the Provincial and Federal Governments of Canada. This thesis is an attempt to contextualize the current situation by delivering insight into the long history of Métis activism, not just through narratives of conflict, but instead stories of family, treaty negotiations, and systems of governance. Gabriel Dumont serves as the main focus for this study. Going beyond the battlefield of 1885, my work highlights a variety of non-violent initiatives that would shape the Canadian prairies. Through his life experience we can trace a general history of the Métis people as they transitioned from a hunting society to an agrarian community, as well as investigate specific ways the Métis attempted to counter Euro-Canadian settlement with diplomatic, rather than military initiatives. The roots of this activism have yet to be explored in any great detail, receiving little attention by scholars. Overall, this approach provides a deeper context for understanding the long and rich history of Métis cultural and political organization before 1885.