Michif language students from the Batoche area participated in a naming ceremony with Métis leaders to introduce 16 new calves to the Batoche bison herd. These calves mark the first bison births in the Batoche region in nearly 150 years, as shared by Métis elders with students from St. Louis, Duck Lake, and Bellevue, Saskatchewan. Earlier this year, students from various regions in the province were invited to partake in naming the calves.
In 2023, Métis Nation—Saskatchewan (MN-S) collaborated with Parks Canada to relocate 25 yearlings from a herd at Grasslands National Park to Batoche, with an additional 50 bison added last year.
The field trip aimed to provide students with a hands-on learning experience about Métis culture through land-based education, according to Darcy Lepowick, MN-S minister of environment, agriculture, lands, and resources. Lepowick emphasized the importance of learning from elders and teachers to grasp the historical significance of the Métis community, particularly how the buffalo herds played a crucial role in the settlement of Métis in the area.
The newly chosen names for the calves incorporate the northern, heritage, and French dialects of Michif. Notable names include Chiraan (Northern Light), Toneur (Thunder), La ci flesh (Little Arrow), and Li pchi (The Little One). One calf named Groos tet (Big Head) delighted Samantha Campbell, a Grade 10 student at St. Louis Public School who studies Michif language.
After the naming ceremony, students and onlookers ventured into the bison paddock to observe the herd up close. Angela Rancourt, who teaches the Michif language class and oversees the Michif early learning program, expressed the emotional significance of being on their homeland and celebrating this moment together.
Lepowick mentioned that as the bison herd grows, some individuals will need to be relocated to initiate new herds. He highlighted the future role of these bison as nucleus herds for other areas and Métis groups in the province.