Living Tapestry

 

Our elders are living libraries of wisdom and tenderness. Every thread they teach us to weave, every story they share, becomes part of our family’s sacred tapestry.

Let us honour their voices and treasure their guidance, for it is in them that our roots and our future are bound together. May we remember to act honourably towards them, for someday we will be the elders, passing on our family heritage.

 

Every family carries its own fire — a light passed from elder to youth, keeping alive the stories, lessons, and love of our people. Around the Sacred Fire we remember who we are, and why we belong. On this Friday, let us gather close around the fire, share our stories, and keep the flame of kinship burning bright.

A Presentation to our Youth

 

Roots and Identity 

Today we gather to speak of our roots, our identity, and our journey as a people. The Métis story is not merely a tale from history; it is the living heartbeat of who we are, and who you are becoming. To know one’s roots is to stand upon solid ground. To forget one’s roots is to drift like a leaf upon the wind.

Long ago, men and women came from France, Ireland, and other parts of Europe to trade furs across these northern lands. They met the Indigenous peoples here and, over time, bonds of family and friendship grew. Marriages were formed, children were born, and a new people came into being—neither wholly European nor wholly Indigenous, but Métis. These children were often called “half-breeds” by outsiders, yet they were full children in the eyes of the Great Father and Mother. Because they were misunderstood and not always accepted by any of the older nations, our ancestors forged their own way. Out of necessity, they created a distinct culture, a distinct language, and a distinct spirituality. This is the foundation of your heritage.

Our people became the guides, interpreters, boatmen, and builders of bridges between cultures. We learned resilience because we had to. We learned diplomacy because we needed to. We learned ingenuity because our survival depended upon it. And from this, we inherited a way of life grounded in honour, responsibility, and respect for others.

At the centre of our spirituality stands the Sacred Circle. Its four directions teach us Dedication, Purification, Sanctification, and Consecration. Just as our ancestors stood between worlds, so too the Sacred Circle calls us to balance the four winds—Physical, Communications, Psychological, and Emotional—in all we do. To know one’s roots is to dedicate oneself to non-harm; to purify one’s life by acts of help and kindness; to sanctify one’s environment by guarding our inner and outer worlds; and to consecrate oneself by devotion to the Great Manitou, whose loving heart burns in the Sacred Fire at the centre.

Knowing your roots gives you pride, but not the pride that boasts. It gives you dignity, confidence, and a sense of belonging. It also gives you the responsibility to carry forward what is good, to improve what can be improved, and to act as stewards of your culture for the next generation. Every time you speak our language, practise our music, wear the sash correctly, or honour the Elders, you are saying: “I know who I am.”

Remember, that embracing your Métis identity does not mean closing your heart to others. It means walking in the strength of your heritage while respecting the dignity of every person you meet. In this way, you will bring light and knowledge to the world, just as our ancestors once did, and just as the Great Father and Mother continue to guide us to do.

Smile and Greet the Great Father and Mother

Let us address this habit of Smiling your biggest smile, and Saying out loud, Good Morning to your Heavenly Mother and Heavenly Father.  This powerful habit is a force more powerful than chance, more reliable than talent, and more enduring than opportunity. That force is the power of habit. A habit is something we do so often, so faithfully, that it becomes part of who we are. It is not a choice made once, but a choice made again and again, until it becomes natural, almost effortless.

The truth is this: a single good habit, faithfully kept, has the power to change your entire life. When you choose one small, simple act and perform it with consistency, never failing, never excusing, never postponing, you build within yourself the strength that can carry you through every challenge in many areas of life.

Habit is like a river. Once it begins to flow, it gathers strength. It carves a path into the land, and the longer it runs, the deeper the channel becomes. In the same way, a good habit carved into your life will continue to guide you, even when you are tired, even when your will is weak, even when the world tempts you to wander away.

Consider this: if you create the habit of rising early, you will find more time for learning, for work, and for reflection. If you create the habit of speaking kindly, your relationships will grow strong and respectful. If you create the habit of keeping your word, you will earn trust and opportunities. Each habit, though small, touches all other parts of your life, for strength in one area gives strength in another.

But remember the most important part, the power of a habit lies in absolute consistency. A habit cannot be half-kept. It is either firm or it is nothing at all. If you tell yourself, “I shall do this, but only when it is convenient,” then it is not yet a habit; it is merely a wish. True habit demands that you perform it without fail, whether you feel like it or not, whether others are watching or not, whether the day is easy or difficult.

It is this perfect consistency that makes habit a source of strength. Every time you keep your habit, even when it is hard, you prove to yourself that you are stronger than your excuses, stronger than your moods, stronger than your circumstances. Over time, this inner proof builds unshakable confidence. You begin to believe, not only that you can keep this habit, but that you can succeed in anything, because you have trained your spirit to endure and to persist.

Many people look for secret paths to success, but the truth is plain: it is habit that shapes a person’s destiny. The Great Manitou Himself has shown us the Sacred Way as a pattern, a holy habit of living, consistent in love, kindness, and devotion. If we walk in His ways without fail, we too shall grow strong and become like Him.

Therefore, choose one good habit today, such as Smiling your biggest Smile, and out loud, say Good Morning to your Heavenly Parents. Keep it perfectly, without fail, and let it flow into every part of your life. For in one faithful habit lies the strength to succeed in all things.