Through the voices and experiences of Métis citizens, "We Won't Be Ignored" highlights the strength of Métis communities and the importance of Métis-led research in shaping our future.
About.
We Won’t Be Ignored is a collaborative effort between the Métis National Council Health team, Indigenous Geographic, and our generous docuseries participants. The docuseries was inspired by a need for more Métis-specific health research as Métis people are still one of the most under-researched groups across Canada (Gmitroski et al., 2023). With limited available disaggregated data on the health status of our citizens, the need for Métis-specific health data is critical. Our efforts aim to address this gap in a way that resonates with our people and privileges Métis ways of knowing and doing. Through storytelling, the docuseries will raise awareness, foster understanding, provide needed data, and advocate for addressing the health gaps faced by the Métis Nation. The episodes that will be created will focus citizens’ stories on their experience and challenges with their health. Ultimately, this series aims to amplify the diverse voices and scope of knowledge within the Métis community around their experiences and perspectives on addressing Métis-specific needs. Our first episode, Li Kawnsayr, focuses on diverse experiences of Cancer across the homelands. Citizens welcomed us into their homes and generously shared their stories with us. For too long, our stories have been told for us, about us, but without us. That ends here. This series reclaims our narrative, honours our truths, and lays the foundation for lasting change. This series celebrates not only the power of storytelling but the relentless strength of our people. May this be the spark that ignites greater recognition, stronger partnerships, and above all, meaningful action because our voices will not be ignored. May these stories ignite a spark of hope and a desire for meaningful change within you.
Maarsii, thank you for watching and stay tuned for more episodes.
Resources
National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 (24hours a day/7 days a week)
Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS): 1-800-721-0066
Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 or connect to their online chat
Mental Health Helpline: 1-877-303-2642 (24hours/day & 7days a week)
Health | Métis National Council
Visiting.
The methodology the MNC health team chose to approach this video series from is Visiting, or Keeoukaywin, first discussed by Dr. Janice Cindy Gaudet. Although not a strictly Métis concept, Visiting is foundational to Métis culture as a way for Métis folks to co-create and disseminate knowledges. Visiting can be thought of as folks gathered around a kitchen table, sharing stories over a cup of tea. Cindy Gaudet (2019) writes of Visiting, or Keeoukaywin, as being a process that helps us to center relationality and miyo pimatisiwin/mino bimaadiziwin (the good life). It is imperative that Indigenous stories be told by the nations themselves (Wilson, 2008; Smith, 1999; Absolon, 2011). Meaning, Métis health research and data collection must be done by Métis communities in ways that honour and empower Métis worldviews and value systems. Gaudet (2019) aptly states, “an Indigenous research methodology is concerned both with the feelings you leave with, and the feelings you leave behind.” Employing decolonial research methodologies/methods allows us to “[de-link] from the colonial logic reproduced over and over again, which upholds its intellectual hierarchy and continues to cause harm” (Gaudet, 2019). Incorporating Métis ways of knowing and doing is of particular importance in the area of health and well-being. To center nation-specific values and teachings is to go forward with our research in a good way. Further, “keeoukaywin assures that knowledge, teachings, dreams and stories are mobilized through social and political relations, social values, life cycles, and language; it is therefore a living, creative, and holistic practice” (Gaudet, 2019).
“Together we can and will continue to revitalize and tell our stories, our beautiful Métis stories for today and for our future generations.”
— Margaret Froh, President of the Métis Nation of Ontario