Back to Batoche, the annual celebration of M茅tis history and culture, will be held online this year as COVID-19 restrictions prevent people from across Canada from travelling to a physical event in Saskatchewan. The event is scheduled for July 23 to July 26 at
This year, which would have commemorated the 50th anniversary of Back to Batoche Days, is the first time the annual event has been postponed for in-person activities since its creation in 1970. The official 50th anniversary celebrations will now be held in 2021.
Despite the changes, organizers were determined to encourage M茅tis members across Canada to actively participate in the virtual celebrations, saying that the M茅tis community spirit is an uplifting one worth celebrating.
鈥淎s soon as that fiddle starts playing, the feet start tapping and the hands start clapping. Our hearts beat as one to the M茅tis music,鈥� said Sherry McLennan, Batoche minister for M茅tis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S).
The online platform for Batoche Days will allow participants to submit videos of themselves competing in traditional M茅tis activities, such as jigging, fiddling, and square dancing, in a variety of age groups for cash prizes funded by MNS.
The event will consist of as many physical experiences as possible and then streamed online.
There will be a virtual food truck alley, featuring pre-recorded videos of participants cooking traditional M茅tis dishes, and Michif classes, the M茅tis language, and an online artisan market for local M茅tis to sell their wares.
In the evening there will be live-streamed music and M茅tis bands showcased.
Yet, even with extensive preparations to facilitate this virtual celebration, McLennan acknowledged that the physical aspects of hugging and embracing will be missing from this year鈥檚 program.
鈥淛ust being non-social is going to be huge, because Batoche is a coming together of our M茅tis people who live across our homeland,鈥� said McLennan.
But, McLennan noted that one significant advantage to the change in plans is that the virtual gathering is more accessible to those outside of Saskatchewan, and especially for Elders who may be too old to make the journey.
鈥淭here are people from across Canada that are not able to make it during that week,鈥� said McLennan, 鈥渂ut this way, at least, they鈥檒l get a piece of the M茅tis culture by tuning in.鈥�
McLennan said MN-S partnered with Canadian Geographic, who provided the digital platform for the virtual event, as well as communications and marketing.
A formal partnership had been launched earlier this year between the two organizations, which were initially working towards a common goal of revitalizing the Michif language and had hoped to integrate this mission into the physical Batoche event.
Canadian Geographic magazine, which has a readership of approximately four million Canadians, says they work with about 25,000 teachers across the nation as well. The organization wanted to amplify and leverage the existing work of MN-S in persevering and educating M茅tis youth in their language and culture.
A Canadian Geographic spokesperson says that MN-S approached the organization because of their previous work with the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada.
The multimedia, educational resource was published in 2018 and featured one entire book dedicated to the M茅tis people in Canada.
鈥淲e began brainstorming with MN-S on how we could honour the value of the impact of the Back to Batoche celebration and still leverage that experience to help raise awareness of Michif language and Michif culture,鈥� said Jason Muscant, director of development and partnerships at Canadian Geographic. 鈥淎nd we wanted to help bring everyone together as an homage to what the celebration means to the community.鈥�
The two organizations had a movie of Batoche Days in the works, as well as programs for the event to have Michif language teachers and educators hosting workshops and summer camps.
Muscant says he is optimistic that the partnership will continue for next year鈥檚 50th anniversary celebration.
鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping that with success this year, that we鈥檒l have created an infrastructure that is able to support future virtual Back to Batoche celebrations,鈥� said Muscant.
That gathering would usually be held at Batoche National Historic Site, the site of the battle of Batoche and the Northwest Rebellion of 1885.
McLennan says that MN-S is currently planning a large event for 2021, provided that COVID-19 restrictions on physical gatherings are lifted by then.
And both organizations say that focusing on keeping the Michif language alive is one of their main shared values.
鈥淐anadian Geographic is extremely proud of our partnership with the MN-S. It's been a transformational experience for the team at Canadian Geographic,鈥� said Muscant
