Fiddle and dance important to Metis

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It was a fun and educational time for the people who gathered at Portage College's McGrain Theatre in Lac La Biche on March 20 to watch Kikino Northern Lites Dancers perform the Red River Jig, the Duck Dance and the Square Dance.

The two-hour show, which included performances by singers Priscilla Morin and Northern Highway, gave the audience insight into how important the fiddle and dance were to Metis people of yesteryear.

Gerald White, the co-ordinator of Kikino Northern Lites Dancers, said he found the history of the Metis and their music so fascinating that he wanted other people to know about it. Years ago, Metis people made the most of what they had when they did not have the money to purchase new fiddles. They used to make their own using spruce gum to hold the fiddle together.

"Back then we did not have any glue or anything else." White said he and his wife found out about fiddle-making while reviewing historical documentation given to them by former mayor of Lac La Biche, Tom Maccagno. He said that he now has a great collection of information about the fiddle and the Metis people ofthe area.

Another fact that White found interesting was how the missionaries would gather up all the fiddles from people's homes in the days leading up to Easter and also prohibit some of the dances. He believes that was because Metis fiddle music was not played in a regular bar structure like every other type of music, so the missionaries that were trained in music couldn't figure it out. They took the fiddles believing that the fiddlers played the devil's music. Of course, there was always a fiddle hidden somewhere and people would secretly get together and celebrate the music.

"When I read about this I figured I would've been dead. I would've fought to keep our music and dance, but even through this they were not able to kill our music and that is really interesting. I really like that part. I believe that is why our music today is so unique, because it survived so much and it makes it even more rewarding," he said.

What White would like to do is tour the show.

"Sometimes people do not have a clear understanding of who Metis people are, as in our dance and in our songs, so that is what we are hoping to do," he said.

Both White and his wife Denise have been with the dance group for more than 25 years. He said that they began under the guidance and teaching of four ladies in their community who were really interested in Metis music. He said he is forever grateful to them because dancing kept him out of trouble and that is why both he and his wife are so involved in the group.