Preserve culture says Metis leader

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"Don't leave your culture behind," says the former leader of the Federation of Metis Settlements.

Maurice L'Hirondelle, 79, former leader of the group which represents people living in eight Metis settlements in Alberta, stressed that message in a speech to a group of Native

students who will start classes this fall at the University of Alberta.

The U of A's Native Student Services was holding a full blown week of orientation for incoming students.

Known as Native Adult Summer University '89, the week was organized by Shawna Cunningham and Yvonne Dion-Buffalo, both of Native Student Services.

L'Hirondelle told them that it is important to get "all the education you can," but at the same time one should never forget their Native heritage.

He also advised students to learn some of the traditional ways that went hand in hand with the old Metis settlement life, and Native life in general.

"You should learn how to put in a garden, how to handle cattle, chickens, pigs and other farm animals, because you never know what's going to happen," he said.

L'Hirondelle was referring to the possibility that people could once again be struck with another world-wide catastrophe, like The Depression in the 'Dirty Thirties.'

L'Hirondelle, himself, was born before World War I and lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s.

In his early days, the Metis elder was a farmer and first moved to the East Prairie Metis settlement in 1941, two years after it was officially created.

There he lived for some 34 years before moving to Edmonton. He had a family of 13 children and during his life at the settlement he brought some 100 acres of land under

cultivation with a full line of farm equipment he collected over the years. He also owned some 65 head of cattle.

He believes people were much more giving in early settlement life. "If a moose was killed, everyone got a piece of the meat."

L'Hirondelle added, however, that since the introduction of the automobile and the more "civilized" way of life, people have become more selfish and share less.

He believes that modern conveniences have made people less dependent on each other and less personable.

Farming also declined after roads were built in the settlements allowing people to go outside the settlements to work, recalled L'Hirondelle.

He says he reluctantly left his successful farm life to become the president of the FMS, moving to Edmonton in 1975 and serving until 1980.

Towards the end of his tenure as president the federation launched a land and resources claim against the Alberta Government which was settled recently when the province

offered a $310 million land settlement.

L'Hirondelle says he "loves" to speak to students about Metis history, because he feels they should learn the truth, adding that much of the truth has been misrepresented by

government officials and historians.