Thousands flock to mark Batoche's 25th Anniversary

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They may not be from the province, but Albertans Smokin' Joe Blyan and Fast Eddie Swain kept a mainly-Saskatchewan crowd well entertained as the emcees at this year's 25th Back to Batoche celebrations.

Close to 12,000 passed through the gates of the Metis Heritage Days July 21-23 to be part of that tiny community's contemporary history. Conducted on the very grounds where Metis and Indians struggled against the oppression and suppression of Canadian military forces 110 years ago, visitors to Batoche enjoyed an array of traditional and contemporary entertainment and competition which made a powerful statement to the fact that Metis culture and history is, indeed, alive and well.

Despite a torrent of rain on Saturday afternoon and light rain on Sunday morning, events ploughed ahead to their conclusions, so that in the end, the celebration was only about an hour behind schedule.

A welcoming crowd of about 1,000 or more cheered the opening ceremonies parade-in which was led by Metis veterans Edward King and Vital Morin. They were followed by two Metis RCMP, Metis president Jimmy Durocher, Metis senators and veterans from the western provinces, provincial MLA's, and several special guests who have been instrumental in the past Batoche festivities.

Saskatchewan Metis president Durocher said that those involved in the struggles over 100 years ago "laid down their lives for the same issues" that we struggle over today, the key issues being "land and self-government." Durocher also mentioned a meeting of the minds with Finance Minister Joanne Crofford with the main agenda being a Metis Act, co-managing resources and economics.

Crofford said she senses "a new energy arising in the Metis Nation for people wanting to be involved." National president Gerald Morin suggested that people "remember the spiritual significance of Batoche." He also praised the organizers and originators of Batoche days which contributes to bringing the people together "every year to renew our culture and our friendship with one another."

Lyle Donald, Alberta's acting Metis president, emphasized that it's "important for our young people to keep this tradition up."

Metis war veterans were over-joyed with recognized by organizers who provided 50th anniversary medals, the first two of which were presented to Edward King and Vial Morin. This was followed with a song by Laura Langstaff entitled Coming Home.

Once the opening ceremonies had concluded, two events to get under way were the ball tournaments and the talent contest. These continued into Saturday with Connie Mike winning the senior talent over Elvis Ballantyne and Mike Daigneault, and Giselle St. Germaine taking the junior division over Dean Gauthier and young Cletus and Kelly Quintal. Cindy Corrigal from St. Louis was this year's Princess Batoche.

A special memorial category was named in tribute to the late George Lafleur from Sled Lake who passed away from cancer last fall at age 73. He was always competing at Batoche and usually won the buckskin parade and the bannock baking. His buckskin outfit was proudly worn by his grandson Phane Roy, and co-ordinator Bruce Flamont explained to the crowd that the competition "that we know will be called the George Lafleur Buckskin Parade."

The talents of the Metis came out loud and clear with the fiddling being won by Battleford's Henry Gardipy who took home the 4th Annual Reg Bouvette Memorial Trophy for the second consecutive year. Placing were Abe Girard and Sterling Brass. Hap Boyer won the Golden Age category, with Ernet Umpherville second, and Lucas Welsh bested Taibott St. Germaine and Keitha Clarke in the juniors.

In the tradition of Batoche days, Sunday featured the annual pilgrimage to the Batoche Cemetery where the people gathered about the mass grave of eight Metis who died during the struggles of 1885, and were buried together. Prayers were also recited, brief speeches given and songs flowed on the cool breezes as if to echo the sentients of those fallen warriors through their contemporary counterparts.