Procession led by veteran commemorates Batoche past

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"This is what Batoche is all about," said Maria Campbell describing the annual procession to the Batoche Cemetery during the Batoche Days celebrations.

The procession has always been a rather informal gathering of people. They meet around 10 a.m. on Sundays and march just over a mile to the cemetery.

This year, a procession of approximately 50 people was led by war veterans who served as the flag bearers.

As they arrived at the cemetery, they quickly gathered around the mass gravesite of those who lost their lives in 1885 when the Metis were at war with Canadian militia.

Services began with a prayer from Maria Campbell. Then Clem Chartier and Manitoba Metis leader Yvon Dumont told of how the Metis stood their ground and in defence of their rights and their homeland.

Fiddle player Reg Bouvette and John Arcand, accompanied by Beryl Bouvette on guitar, played the Red River Jig which they called the "Metis National Anthem".

AT the close of the ceremony, people sprinkled flakes of tobacco on the mass gravesite to symbolize a gift-giving to the spirits of those departed from this life, then the people dispersed to visit the graves, of ancestors, relatives or friends.