|
a.
|
Note: The Metis began as buffalo hunters and trappers in Manitoba. They are a people who's common characteristic is having a European father and an Indian mother, Morin said. "The Metis people didn't consider themselves Indians or white," Morin said. "They considered themselves Metis." They had distinctive styles of dress and dance that evolved from their diverse backgrounds, which included various native tribes as well as English, Scots, French and Irish. "They were the buffalo hunters," Morin said. "They worked for the Hudson Bay Company and the Northwest Company and fur-trader families." In 1869 there was a move to make Manitoba a separate country, which many Metis participated in. After this failed, the Canadian government began a process in 1875 of allocating 160-acre parcels of land or $160 to the Metis. This ended in 1906. In 1885, after another attempt at separation failed, many had to flee to the United States. Most who fled ended up at Turtle Mountain in North Dakota, which is directly below Manitoba. The Metis were not treated in the same way as the Canadian Indian Tribes, Morin said. They were often not invited to treaty discussions because they understood the white culture too well. Many chose to take money over land, Morin said, but when the land allocated in the treaty ran out, people had to take the money. "It was kind of like your income tax refund," Morin explained. "It was gone probably that season because the buffalo were gone too and that was their livelihood up to that point." When accepting the land or the money the applicant had to fill out a form. On it the person had to say who their mother and father were, when they were born, where they were living and who their children were. These forms or "scrip" act as leaves from a family tree. Source: Unearthing the Metis Family Tree (http://www.grandcoulee.com/album/m/moring.html) ORIGINAL SCRIP CERTIFICATES I do scrip affidavit and original certificate searches for individuals who want to establish their Metis roots, their right to land entitlement, and as documented proof of Metis ancestry, when applying for Metis citizenship within the different registrars of the Metis Nation here in Canada, and in the United States. Manitoba Scrip was issued to all the Metis or half-breeds, and all original white settlers. Application for the land scrip began June 1875 and continued until the early 1880's The Metis were entitled to participate in the allotment and distribution of land set apart for half-breed heads of family and half-breed children living in the province of Manitoba on the 15th day of July 1870. Information on the application included: date and place of birth; name, husbands name, and race or national origin of parents. The term "was/is parent" often meant the parent was deceased/was still living. The Metis qualified for half-breed scrip if they had not received government Indian annuities. Several Metis had their names struck from the Indian rolls. They repaid the treaty money ($3.00) received before 1874. The scrip for 160 acres was preferred to the small annuity payments. The application was witnessed by two members of the community who knew the applicant. Many Metis signed the document with an (X). The English half-breeds and younger French Metis used their signatures. Included on the document was the date of the application, and the language spoken by the applicant. The parents applying for their children included, if possible, a certificate of baptism. Occasionally, a certificate of marriage and death was submitted for proof of these events. Original white settlers and their descendants were also entitled to land scrip if they were residents of Manitoba in June of 1874. Additional information included their nation of origin, and date of arrival in the Red River country. A date of settlement between 1813 and 1835 was necessary to qualify a person as an original white settler. The majority of settlers came from French Canada, (Orkeneys) Scotland and England. Taken from Gail MORIN'S "Manitoba Scrip" The original scrip looks like a bond that has inscribed on it 160 dollars or 240 acres, as an example. Denominations of the money scrip are usually in 20, 80, and 160 dollar notes, but I have seen them in smaller denominations. Acreage scrip are in 160 or 240 acre notes. All of the original scrip and certificates are stored at Ottawa's National Archives only. There is scrip that has been destroyed by fire, etc., that are no longer in existance, but the scrip numbers are still posted. This scrip is irreplaceable and must be handled carefully. Certificates are stored in volumes at the Archives by the scrip numbers, not by the surname of the individual. Source: http://www.cyberus.ca/~quinto/scrip.htm
|
