SASKATOON — Doris McDougall is used to working in the background — things like selling tickets and working in the kitchen during fundraising events in the St. Louis parish community, or being a volunteer in the St. Louis senior centre.
That’s why being in the spotlight is new to her as the long-time Métis educator joins Geordy McCaffrey and George Fayant as the newest members of the Order of Gabriel Dumont, a civilian honour bestowed to individuals who develop and promote Métis culture.
McDougall, who taught Métis communities in the north about their culture and traditions for 33 years, and McCaffrey received the gold medal and Fayant was conferred the silver in simple ceremonies last Friday at TCU Place.
McDougalltold SASKTODAY.ca that she still can’t believe receiving the OGD gold medal as it was a huge honour being nominated alone and earning recognition from her community is proof that she has done something special.
“Somebody thought that I did something worthy of me receiving this award, I guess. In a way, I didn’t expect that they nominated me and I only learned about it after getting the letter from GDI saying that I would be one of the recipients,” said McDougall.
She grew up in the Lepine Flats and speaks fluent Michif, the language of the Métis people, where she spent 33 years teaching and promoting their culture to communities in the northern region of the province.
“I worked a lot for the Métis people, I’ve been living the Métis way of life. I started going to meetings when I was still in high school. I was involved with the Métis society. I did a few projects for the Métis language.”
She compiled major Métis spoken words, which had Cree and French influences, and had them printed into a booklet and flashcards. She used it as a tool to teach the language and it is now used as a reference in schools.
“It was a book on what was spoken, Michif, in our area. That’s what I did and then I taught in schools up north for years with Michif influence. So, that’s the reason why I got nominated. I think it is because I worked with the Métis,” said McDougall, who never married, giving her a lot of time to teach the ways of the Métis people and do volunteer work.
“We’re teaching English, where I was, but there were Métis locals there. I was always involved in [teaching our language] one way or another. But I do prefer being involved in the background and not in the foreground like this,” she added with a smile.
She now does volunteer work in the village of St. Louis, the senior centre and the parish in general.
“Before we spent a lot of time cleaning the graveyards. We used to do the whole graveyard, my sister and me. It took us days, but now we only do our relatives’ [graveyards].”
“I clean the whole town,” McDougall, who’s always been a resident of St. Louis, said with a laugh. “Well, not during the pandemic. I also bowl and play curling. Took part in a fundraising event. So, that’s what keeps me busy, from morning till night.”
