Lyr Add: La Metisse / Song of the Metis Maiden

Subject: Lyr Add: LA MÉTISSE / SONG OF THE MÉTIS MAIDEN
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jul 06 - 03:37 PM

Lyr. Add: LA MÉTISSE - SONG OF THE MÉTIS MAIDEN
(Words by Louis Riel, music composer unknown)

Song of the Métis Maiden
(trans. L. Verrault)

I am a maid of the small Métis nation,
And with great pride this heritage I share;
I know that God when He shaped His creation
Made every race with equal love and care.
Though the Métis are not many in number,
Great is the destiny which they command;
Proud of the hate that the world heaps upon them,
Yet they have played a great role in this land.

Chorus:
Oh! if some day perchance I should be courted
Gladly I'd love without shame or demand
A soldier brave from our little detachment
So proudly led by our chief-in-command.
Gladly I'd love a soldier brave
So proudly led by our chief-in-command.
Gladly I'd love a soldier brave
So proudly led by our chief-in-command.

When on that night, the seventh of December,
They captured Schultz and his troop all in one,
The fading sun, like a guardian angel,
Hung in the sky until the task was done.
Then morning came on the eighth of December,
One never saw a day so bright and fair;
And the Métis in their moment of triumph
Fell to their knees in a heart-warming prayer.

Have I not seen, I, a timid young maiden,
The Métis troops in the Fort and the town,
Eight hundred strong in defence of their country,
Risen as one with no thought of renoun?
Oh! wondrous sight to behold our proud soldiers,
Sons of the plain where man is free to roam,
With their heads bowed in a most humble gesture
Praying for help to save their land and homes.

Then a fine priest, a brave and saintly pastor,
For Ottawa set out one morning bright
At every turn he met with disaster
But he had God aiding him in his fight.
Six months of toil had given us a Province
Happily wrought of his faith and his dreams;
While McDougall who envisioned a kingdom
Had to forgo all his devilish schemes.

LA MÉTISSE

Je suis Métisse et je orgueilleuse
D'appartenir à cette nation;
Je sais que Dieu de Sa main généreuse
Fait chaque peuple avec attention.
Les Métis sont un petit peuple encore
Mais vous pouvez déjà voir leurs destins;
Être haïs comme ils sont les honore,
Ils sont déjà rempli de grands desseins.

Refrain:
Ah! si jamais je devais être aimée,
Je choisirais pour mon fidéle amant
Un des soldats de la petite armée
Que commandait notre fier adjutant.
Je choisirais un des soldats       )bis
Que commandait notre fier adjutant. )

Quand ils ont pris Schultz avec sa phalange,
Le sept décembre au soir, il fit bien beau;
Notre soleil couchant, beau comme un ange
Veillant sur nous, retira son flambeau
Seulement quand Schultz eut rendu les armes.
Le lendemain fut splendide pour nous:
Le huit décembre, entouré de ses charmes,
Vit les Métis triompher à genoux.

N'ai-je pas vu, moi qui suis jeune fille,
Le Fort Garry plein de soldats métis?
Huit cents Méis dans le fort et la ville,
Je les ai vus défendre le pays
Avec autant d'amour que de vaillance.
Que c'était beau de voir ces hommes fiers,
Courbant le front, prier la Providence
De leur aider à garder leurs foyers.

Un saint pasteur, un prêtre inébranlable
Partit un jour du côté d'Ottawa;
On l'entoura d'un bruit épouvantable
Mais pour passer le Bon Dieu l'appuya.
Il s'en revint avec notre Province
Heureusement faite en six mois de temps,
Et McDougall, un moment notre prince
Resta confus de tous ses mauvais plans.

---

Click to play

"This song is in the Joseph Dubuc Papers, Provincial Archives of Manitoba; both words and music hand-done.
"The verses were composed by Louis Riel, President of the Provisional Government which he formed at Red River late in 1869. The content of the song gives the only clue as to its date, which was probably early in 1870, after Riel had captured the party of Portage marchers, with the Métis in possession of Upper Fort Garry.
With music, pp. 51-55, M. A. MacLeod, 1960, "Songs of Old Manitoba," Ryerson Press.

The Métis were crushed at Batoche, the superior Ottawa forces with Gatling guns ended the dream of a Métis nation or Province.
In the western part of their range, they have received lands in Alberta, but most lost the 'river lots' apportioned by Hudson's Bay, if not at the time, later to emigrants from Europe. I will have to read some history; I know of their settlements in Saskatchewan, but not of their extent and title. A few small settlements remain in Manitoba. Some actions may still be before the courts. Some left for the U. S., esp. Minnesota where there were colonies; there are a few in most of the other border states.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA MÉTISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 09 Jul 06 - 01:06 AM

Q--

This is beautiful! Do you have a blue clicky I could go look at? I've been hunting a song called "Baptiste's Lament" for awhile now and haven't had much luck finding Metis music. Would appreciate any more info you might have...

Many thanks,
Lin

P.S. Unfortunately, I don't speak French, so English or English translations would be a big help!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA MÉTISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jul 06 - 02:22 PM

Lin, I will send the music to Joe Offer; he may be so kind as to do the midi.
Métis music remained outside of the interest of the eastern collectors. Many were songs of the French-Canadians and the fiddle music of both French and Scotch Canadians. Like the song by Louis Riel, some are squirreled away in various archives.
I know of no serious collector who collected from Métis settlements. I have a ponderous two-volume work (by a Frenchman) on Métis history (and other volumes), but it contains no music.
Some songs of the voyageurs exist, but they are called French-Canadian, ignoring the fact that most of the rowers were mixed-bloodIndian-French and Scotch-Indian, Hawaiian (a little known fact) and Indian. I have been told that these songs had been sanitized for polite company before publication.
Little volumes worth looking at (authentic) are "Songs of Old Manitoba" (see previous post) and "Seven Métis Songs of Saskatchewan" (collector's item), and, for some current music, see "Red River Echoes; the Life and Music of Marcel Meilleur," Meilleur et al.
I will copy more in the coming weeks.

I recall your request for "Baptiste's Lament," and wondering at the time if it wasn't fictional, a title made up by Bowen for the Du Pre character. Try writing Bowen through his publisher.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA MÉTISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 09 Jul 06 - 07:43 PM

Here is a website selling Metis music and video. One of the albums on this page has La Metisse on it. If you explore around a bit on this site you will find playable samples of fiddle music (audio) and dancing (video).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA MÉTISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: GUEST,Lynn Noel
Date: 09 Jul 06 - 08:18 PM

The best-known collector of Franco-Manitoban music is probably Marcien Ferland, who published Chansons à répondre du Manitoba in 1979. Here's his bio:

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0001191

You can order the book here (C$24.95): http://www.livres-disques.ca/recf/products/product_detail.cfm?id=5212

It's an unusual collection and the music is quite different from the eastern Franco repertoire of Quebec and the French Maritimes, both in terms of text and tune shapes.

Since 1988, I have presented a musical living history roleplay of a Métis woman in the NorthWest Company fur trade. I also became bilingual in French in the process, which helps when doing Web research ;-). I've had the opportunity to play and sing with some wonderful Franco and Métis musicians, most notably at Festival du Voyageur at Fort Gibraltar, St. Boniface, MB where I bought the Ferland book. If you haven't been to Winnipeg, Fort Gibraltar is a must-see. (And yes, I spent a week there in February in 18thc clothing...) http://www.festivalvoyageur.mb.ca/portal/index_eng.htm

More info (including MP3s and research articles) here: http://homepage.mac.com/lynnoel/crosscurrents/solo_programs/lisettes_journey/

I'd be glad to correspond offlist with anyone looking more deeply into French-Canadian and Métis music. I'd also very much like the sheet music for La Métisse when it becomes available!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA MÉTISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Jul 06 - 10:47 PM

Bob, and Lynn Noel, Many thanks for the information. I will look for the Ferland book.
Lynn, I will send you a scan of the music of La Métisse if you pm your email to me. I tried the website (yours?)- http://homepage..., but the links don't work, I get the message "we're sorry but we can't find the homepage ---." Or is there a mistake in the website you gave?
I think you have to join (free!) Mudcat to use the pm for messages.

And I wonder if the music to La Métisse in MacLeod's book is the same as that in the collection posted by Bob.

For a time we owned a river lot on the North Saskatchewan at what was the H. B. post called Victoria Settlement, later Pakan, now a historical site. On the river lot (pre-grid survey, 1/4 mile wide, 1 mile deep, at a slant to the river to give more frontage) was one of the original cabins built in the 1860's, (now restored- I hope correctly). Another dwelling from another lot with the same plan was moved to Edmonton. The factor's house is still on the provincial historical site, but they made serious mistakes when they restored it. The people at this site were mostly Scotch- Indian métis, or 'country' as many of them like to be called.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA MÉTISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 09 Jul 06 - 11:37 PM

I would be interested in knowing more. I loved going to Winnepeg years ago and learning a bit about Metis. I am sure many made it to my neck of the woods...lots of French names among my classmates. Riel wrote some great songs I have heard, and I will always believe he wrote the Chanson de Riel in his imprisonment...you must hear that song..it is so beautiful...the Hawaian connection is interesting..when I lived in Vancouver, Washington..visited the old Fort Vancouver often..there was quite a Hawaian contingent there..in fact most of the employees..if you can call indentured people employees..were Hawaian. They rowed up to Kalama, which is a Hawaian name...I feel I might be spelling Hawaian wrong all the way through here but oh well..they were also used as pile drivers. The king of Hawaii made a deal with Hudson's Bay and sent workers there for a time..and they worked off their servitude and were free to stay after and many did..Aloha Oregon was also named by Hawaians. Very interesting history. They do at the fort a Christmas Hawaian re-enactment with some of the local Hawaian people who are descended from the original people. I imagine but do not know that there was a fair amount of intermarriage with the Native Americans. mg

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA MÉTISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jul 06 - 12:29 AM

Fort Langley in British Columbia was built by Hawaiian carpenters (a trading post and H. B. farm headquarters, not a military fort). Barreled salmon, agricultural produce, lumber, etc., were sent to the Hudson's Bay outlet in Honolulu. Young Hawaiian men, after the breakdown of the social order and kapu, needed work, and the arrangements made by the Hawaiian crown with Hudson's Bay and other hirers provided the jobs. Many became skilled at various jobs. Many were sailors, harpooners, etc. The worst off perhaps were those working for the Californios in the hide industry. (See Dana, "Two Years Before the Mast.) All contracts had a termination date, but this was not always observed, as noted by mg. The contracts and other papers are preserved in the Hawaiian Archives in Honolulu.

But this belongs in another thread, and much has been gone over before.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA METISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jul 06 - 06:05 PM

Tune's posted:

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: LA METISSE- METIS MAIDEN
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jul 06 - 09:19 PM

Thanks, Joe, much appreciated. A nice tune.

"It seems I've heard that song before-" but I can't reel it in. Scottish?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: La Metisse / Song of the Metis Maiden
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 19 Jul 06 - 11:14 AM

Thanks Q and all for the information and links about the Metis people. And BTW, I did write to Peter Bowen at his publishers, asking him if "Baptiste's Lament" was a genuine Metis song. Haven't heard back from him, but am still hopeful that I will. When and if I do, I will certainly post the information here. For those who haven't read Peter's books, check out your local library--I highly recommend them. He obviously has a great deal of affection for both Montana and the Metis.

Lin