Back to Batoche is the oldest, continuously running Métis gathering of its kind. Started in 1970 by the Association of Métis and Non-Status Indians of Saskatchewan (now Métis Nation – Saskatchewan), this year’s event (held July 19-22) marked Back to Batoche’s 48th anniversary. It was proceeded by an annual event dedicated to St. Joseph that ran from the late 1800s until the 1930s in Batoche.
Like other large Métis festivals in the Prairies, Back to Batoche features a line-up of entertainers (mostly fiddlers and country singers, as well as square dance troupes), a fiddling and jigging contest, a talent show, horse racing, outdoor ‘voyageur’ games, and some children’s activities (hosted by students in the SUNTEP program and the Batoche National Historic Site Staff). On Sunday morning, a Catholic mass is held in the main stage, followed by a procession from the Back to Batoche Festival grounds to Batoche—the site of final battle of the Northwest Resistance.
This procession marks one of the distinguishing elements of the Back to Batoche Festival: it takes place in an area with deep significance for Métis people, providing attendees with an unparalleled opportunity to connect with the land for which their ancestors fought. As ethnomusicologist Sarah Quick writes: “For some [festival attendees], the highlight of their journey to Batoche is to witness the places where their ancestors fought and to imagine the hardships they faced in standing up for the nineteenth century Métis cause” (2009: 123).
Here are some of the sites around the Back to Batoche Festival grounds, as well as some photos from the event.
Duck Lake, Saskatchewan. The first battle of the Northwest Resistance took place near Duck Lake. The town--now quite tired and run down--features a series of murals depicting the history of the region.
Louis Riel Room, the pub in Duck Lake
Mural depicting the Carlton Trail, which ran from Red River to Fort Edmonton, crossing the South Saskatchewan River near Batoche/Duck Lake.
John A. MacDonald, Gabriel Dumont, and Louis Riel
Plaque at the Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine cemetery, north of Batoche
Grave markers for the men killed at Duck Lake
Ferry crossing the South Saskatchewan river, a few kilometers north of Batoche
Plaque providing some information on the Battle of Fish Creek, south of Batoche
View of the Fish Creek Coulee
Fish Creek Church, derelict and surrounded by "no trespassing" signs
RVs parked in the Back to Batoche Festival grounds
Singing the Canadian National Anthem and the Métis Anthem at the opening ceremonies
The Wapanacak Stompers
Fiddling contest
Evening concert/dance with Ray St. Germain
Procession to the Batoche Historic Site, led by flag bearers (the colour party) and dignitaries
For more information on this event, visit the Back to Batoche Facebook page.
Further Reading:
Quick, Sarah. 2009. Performing Heritage: Métis Music, Dance, and Identity in a Multicultural State. PhD Dissertation, Indiana University.