Many of the men who worked at, or traded with, the original Hudson Bay fort in Fort Langley would have been of European or Canadian descent, while the women they took as their wives often came from the Coast Salish bands in the area.
To rejoice in the true history of the fort, and the people who lived and worked there - including the Metis people - a celebration is in the work for Sunday, said Nancy Hildebrand, promotions officer for the Fort.
She’s particularly excited that she and other operators of Fort Langley historic tourism site are going to be paying tribute to those contributions by celebrating Louis Riel Day.
For the first time every, they’re partnering with six Metis groups to arrange a day devoted to the indigenous culture and its contributions to the fort.
Louis Riel Day, honours a Canadian political leader of the Metis, who led resistance efforts against the government in the late 1800s, fighting – among other things – to preserve Metis culture.
The fort will host a day jammed packed with Metis cultural activities, everything from finger weaving and jigging, to archery, fiddling, and rattle making, Hildebrand said.
“We’re all looking forward to this,” she said. “It is really nice to see all the Metis groups coming together.”
She believes the synergy that will come from all these different groups will help give guest a real authentic view of the Metis culture and the contributions these people made to the historic site.
Regular admission prices apply for the celebration Sunday, Nov. 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.