Students learning the Michif language in the Batoche region engaged in a naming ceremony alongside Métis leaders to celebrate the arrival of 16 new calves to the Batoche bison herd. These calves mark the first bison births in the Batoche area in almost 150 years, as shared by Métis elders with students from St. Louis, Duck Lake, and Bellevue, Saskatchewan. Earlier this year, students from various parts of the province were invited to participate in naming the newborn 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, followed by an additional 50 bison last year.
Darcy Lepowick, the MN-S minister of environment, agriculture, lands, and resources, highlighted that the field trip provided students with a hands-on, land-based educational experience that brought them closer to the Métis culture. By witnessing the bison in action, the students were able to absorb the information more effectively than from traditional classroom learning methods.
The chosen names for the calves reflect the northern, heritage, and French dialects of Michif. Examples include Chiraan (Northern Light), Toneur (Thunder), La ci flesh (Little Arrow), and Li pchi (The Little One). One particularly amusing name, Groos tet (Big Head), delighted Samantha Campbell, a Grade 10 student at St. Louis Public School taking Michif language classes.
After the official naming ceremony, a group of students and spectators ventured into the bison paddock to observe the herd up close. Angela Rancourt, who teaches the Michif language class, emphasized the significance of seeing the bison in person and involving the students in the naming process to foster a sense of representation and connection to the land.
Looking ahead, as the bison herd at Batoche continues to grow, plans are in place to relocate some bison to establish new herds, serving as nucleus herds for other Métis groups across the province.