Beyond the Battlefield: Gabriel Dumont and Métis Leadership (1837-1885)
Date
2017-08-31
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0000-0002-2978-5396
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Masters
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.
Description
Keywords
Metis, Gabriel Dumont, Saskatchewan, History, Biography
Citation
Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
History
Program
History