Métis woman teaches kids to love the culture — but her own daughter surprised her

Felice Gladue has a deep passion for sharing her Métis culture with children, but she says for a brief time, her own kids were her toughest audience. 

Felice, whose Métis ancestry comes from St. Laurent, Man., began sharing her culture with children while working for Aboriginal Head Start, a preschool program for Indigenous kids, more than two decades ago.

"I just feel such a great connection and a great sense of joy to be able to share with others about the Métis people," she said. 

About a decade ago she founded Metis ALIVE, a company based in Beaumont, Alta., (just south of Edmonton) to help share Métis history and traditions in schools and the community. 

But while she's been helping other children learn about Métis culture, Felice said she "dragged" her own kids around to events and programs to immerse them in it. 

"There's a point where they're kind of like those teenagers where they don't want to do anything," Felice said.

Willow Gladue, now 16, agrees with that assessment. 

'Mom, I can jig'

"I remember hating having to go to all the events and stuff and having to say hi to people all the time," Willow said. 

During the pandemic that changed, the teen said. She heard about a jigging contest with prize money. 

"I was like, 'Oh, I can make that much money for jigging?" she said, and asked her mom if she could take part in the virtual competition. 

Felice said she was skeptical. 

"I'm like, 'Well, you need to learn,'" she remembers saying. 

She said she thought she would need to teach Willow the steps. 

However, after growing up around it, Willow says she knew what to do. 

"I do remember that day being like, 'Mom, I can jig. Like, I literally have watched you all these years. Of course I can jig.'"

She said she remembers her mom hesitating before putting music on, but once it was on Felice was convinced. 

"She flat out did the Red River jig. And I was just like,'What the heck?"

From there, Willow says her love of dancing grew. 

"I just kinda was like, 'I wanna do this.'  I'm proud of my culture and I'm proud of who I am and I just, I love to dance," she said. 

In addition to dancing and singing, Willow also plays the fiddle, guitar, piano, drums, harmonica, ukulele and the kalimba. While she enjoys each of those, Willow said she hopes to pursue acting and attend the Vancouver Film School after high school. 

Working for Metis ALIVE has helped her make some money to pay for it. Willow joins Felice at presentations, even travelling out of Alberta, and demonstrates jigging. 

In addition to dancing, Willow has also worked to put together DIY capote (or capot) kits for dolls. 

The capote coats are a traditional Métis garment and "really represents our ancestors" who worked as voyageurs, trappers and traders, according to Felice. 

The kits — which Metis ALIVE has also sold in child and adult sizes, as well as for dogs — include all the pieces of fabric needed to make the coats, a darning needle, pattern, instructions and even a tiny Métis sash.

Pride in culture

Felice also tries to bring the culture and history alive through dancing, singing and acting. 

When visiting schools, Felice says she begins by asking if there are any Métis, Inuit or First Nations kids in the class. 

"Sometimes nobody will lift up their hand," she said.

"But by the end of my presentation, by the end of the experience, that kid is coming up to me in a real quiet voice [saying], 'You know what, actually? I am Cree.'"

She said she's asked kids why they wouldn't identify themselves at the beginning of the class, and they've said they were embarrassed. But after seeing the friends and classmates enjoy learning about Métis culture — songs and dances and stories — they have the confidence to own their identities, she said. 

Felice said she was pleasantly surprised to see Willow enthusiastic about getting involved with presentations and the capote kits after years of not showing interest. 

"But you know what? Her foundation is there. And when she was ready to come back, she came back."