Dispelling Some Misconceptions About Métis People

Misconception: Métis equals mixed blood/race (any mixture of Indigenous and non-Indigenous blood/ancestry equals Métis identity). 

Facts:

In 2002, the Métis National Council adopted the following national definition for Métis identity:

• Métis means a person who:
  • self-identifies as Métis,
  • Is distinct from other Aboriginal peoples,
  • Is of historic Métis Nation Ancestry,
  • Is accepted by the Métis Nation.
• In 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the national definition of Métis and that Métis people have section 35 Aboriginal rights.

The ancestors of the Métis Nation were the children of the unions between North American Indigenous mothers and European fathers. They developed into a distinct Indigenous nation in the northwest during the late 18th century.

Métis people have a distinct heritage, culture, history, language, customs, and homeland.