August 12, 2025

The term “Indigenous Peoples” is often used broadly, but it doesn’t reflect the diversity of cultures, languages, and histories it encompasses. Today, alongside a resurgence of cultural knowledge, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities are calling for a more distinctions-based approach to health care—one that honours their specific traditions, values, and healing practices.  

In this second story of a three-part series, Catherine Turner, a Métis woman from Red River Settlement in Manitoba, shares her experience growing up with a culture that weaves together First Nations and European settler traditions—and the challenges that come with this often-misunderstood identity.

Understanding Métis identity and origins

Métis people have long walked a line between two worlds. In the 17th century, as European settlers arrived in North America and moved inland through the fur trade, they formed relationships with First Nations people who had lived on the land for generations. The children of these unions created a new, distinct culture: the Métis.

Métis are primarily the descendants of Indigenous women from the Prairies (mainly Cree and Ojibway) and European men (often French-Canadian, Scottish, or Orcadian). A common misconception today is that Métis simply means having one Indigenous and one non-Indigenous parent. In fact, Métis communities and culture emerged in the early days of colonization, with their own language (Michif), governance, and way of life.

From their First Nations roots, Métis people learned traditional hunting, medicinal practices, and respect for the land. From their European heritage came fiddle music, jigs, Western foods, and Christianity. Together, these formed a vibrant, evolving culture that is still often overlooked or misunderstood.

“It can feel like you don’t belong in the First Nations community, and you don’t belong in the non-Indigenous community either—you’re in between,” Turner says.

Colonial impacts and hidden heritage

Colonialism compounded this complex identity. As Canada’s settler governments imposed harmful policies and practices against First Nations people—residential schools, land dispossession, and assimilation—many Métis families felt unsafe identifying as Indigenous. Some chose to hide or downplay their heritage to protect themselves and their children.

Turner is Métis on both sides of her family but didn’t learn the full story of her ancestry until adulthood. “As I was growing up, in my family it was not verbally acknowledged that we were Métis. We were led to believe we were French Canadian,” she recalls. “My granny’s generation, and even my mum’s generation, chose not to identify as Métis for safety reasons.”

Catherine Turner, Can-SOLVE CKD Indigenous Liaison Manager

Once she began asking questions and taking a Native studies course through the University of Manitoba, Turner realized she had been living aspects of Métis culture all along—through her family’s love of fiddle music and large gatherings, their connection to the land through hunting, and the stories of her great-grandmother, a medicine woman whose approach to wellness reflected the knowledge of her First Nations ancestors.

Supporting Métis health and wellness

Turner notes that, although many Métis people have hidden their ancestry due to colonialism and a fear that their heritage isn’t “Indigenous enough,” she is heartened by a growing recognition and celebration of Métis identity.

That resurgence is mirrored in health care and research. The Saskatchewan NEIHR Centre, for example, prioritizes Métis-specific health research through its mamawiikikayaahk network. “A distinctions-based approach recognizes that each community has a unique culture, territory, history, and relationship with the Government of Canada,” explains Dr. Robert Henry. The centre’s work helps address long-standing gaps in Métis health data, mentorship, and culturally safe care—goals that reflect Turner’s own journey of cultural rediscovery and advocacy in the health system.

Organizations like Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) are also developing and promoting Métis-specific health resources and wellness plans. MNBC’s Health & Wellness Plans emphasize a holistic approach rooted in Métis culture, offering programs focused on mental health, chronic disease management, traditional knowledge, and community well-being.

These resources reflect the importance of distinctions-based health care—ensuring that Métis people are not subsumed into pan-Indigenous approaches, but instead receive care that reflects their history, identity, and ways of healing.

“As a Métis woman, I take immense pride in my identity,” Turner says. “It has taken me many years to grasp the intricate layers of being Red River Métis, and now I am committed to honouring that heritage and nurturing Métis pride in others.”