AMAA Church of the Metis Tribe Inc

[educatedindian]

I received a request about this organization. Their website.

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http://www.amaametischurch.org/About_Us.html

To eduate and ordain clergy in ancient and modern spiritual beliefs of whom with the use  and
possession of sacred objects required in traditional Metis religious practices.  To conduct ceremonies,
dances, pow-wows, weddings, funeral and sweat lodges in accordance with Metis culture and with the
US Public law#95-341 August 11, 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom 42 USC 1996 Jay Treaty-
1794 (1) between United States and Canada

Did you know that Aboriginal people are defined in the Canadian Constitution Act 1982 as Indian, Inuit,
and Metis?  We can make it happen in the United States if we unite and self identify as Metis. Join with us
now. Fill out an application and mail it to : AMAA Metis Church of the Metis, P.O. Box 835, Groveland, FL

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The part I bolded seems disturbing to me. Basically they are telling PODIAs to call themselves Metis, ignoring that Metis is a very specific people, not just anyone with a bit of NDN ancestry. I doubt there are many actual Metis in Florida beyond those who moved there from Canada.

Also this.

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http://www.amaametischurch.org/News_and_Events.html
On January 21st, 2008 a treaty was signed with The Platform Reservation Band of the Shawnee. They are federally recognized.  By our treaty agreement, they are acknowledging and recognizing the Metis.  This is significant in the process of our filing for Federal recognition.

New Bands Forming in Florida

There are two new bands forming in Florida, one in the Miami area and the other in the Suwanee River/Fort White area...

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I really doubt they are federally recognized, unless it happened very recently. The PRBS's own website isn't too clear, and they recognize a notorious militia that poses as a tribe.

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http://platformreservationremnantband.com/history.html
We don't need any BIA paperwork
to say we are Shawnee. We don't want the federal
government corn check (and thus, the government
regulations attached).   We have a small but
working government, recognized by the federal gov't
as Indian, but independant of their controls.  We
have formed treatys with the Little Shell Pembina,
and are currently working with the Metis to form
treaties with their group.

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Just like in that other thread, the PSRB claims to have tribal judges and marshalls.

Their "chief" goes by Charlie Two Hats, legal name Charles Banta. Here's the supposed treaty signing.
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080122/NEWS/801220313/1244/RSS08&source=RSS

It looks far more like historical reenactors. In fact Terry Redhawk Harris is one.
http://www.floridafrontiersmen.org/getting_it_right.htm

This site says Harris also heads the Northern Indiana Hawk Band.
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-BdL5CNYzaLL0m20JlNZaOK8-?cq=1

And this is interesting. The Blue Mountain Metis disavow Harris, including him in the same mention with the deceased fraud Robt Franzone/Ghostwolf.
Be warned, the link will redirect you to another site.
http://www.stormpages.com/bmmnoftexas/about1.html

This is the AMAA/Hawk Band forum. The good news is they only have 17 members and not much activity.
http://churchmetis.freeforums.org/

[Defend the Sacred]

I wonder why so many of these groups are in Florida? Maybe retired white snowbirds with too much time on their hands, getting into genealogy... and fantasy.

... and fraud.

[E.P. Grondine]

The part I bolded seems disturbing to me. Basically they are telling PODIAs to call themselves Metis, ignoring that Metis is a very specific people, not just anyone with a bit of NDN ancestry. I doubt there are many actual Metis in Florida beyond those who moved there from Canada.

Hi educated indian -

I always thought that "meti" was the French cognate of the Spanish "mestizo".
Who does one have to be to be "meti" in Canada? In other words, what is the official Canadian definition of "meti"?

I have heard it said that if all Canadian PODIA declared as meti, it would be abut 3/4ths of the population.

In any case, the fundamental questions still await some good answers...
What should be presented to the PODIA and the stranded?

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

As a Metis person, living in the Metis community of Green Lake, Saskatchewan, I have attempted to inform people of who we are.  We are a distinct people, with our own language, dance, flag and other things that set us apart from just being mixed blooded.

If anyone wishes to find out the definition of who we are, officially, they can visit the Metis National Council's website which will show the definition, accepted by the Metis Nation, of who we are.

In the "Non Fraud" section, there are many resources identified, which can help people to understand more about us.  I would encourage you to look at this and find out more about us!

As to a "traditional" Metis religion, most of our people were devout Catholic, but many would also participate in the Traditions of our First Nation relatives.  In my own bloodline, this would be with the Nehiyaw (Cree) people.

My father always told me that real Metis people remember that we have close family ties with folks who are Status Indians under the Indian Act, and know who our families are, on Reserve.

Please learn more about us!

Ric

[E.P. Grondine]

Hi Ric -

Thank you. Very informative. To sum, in Canada around 50% bq communities survived as 50% bq communities around fur trading posts. ("meti" being archaic French for half?)

They developed their own unique cultures and practiced mixed Catholic/NA spiritual traditions. They have Canadian federal recognition.

(Also interesting to learn that the population of Canada is around 1,000,000 "aboriginal".)

But still those questions remain. What will you do about your children or grandchildren who marry European or other? (what will the bq be, 1/4?)

What paths will you offer them culturally and spiritually? What about those who move away, and their children?

In this case, another question arises. How go the relations between meti and
their original "tribe","nation" or "people"?

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

You ask some very interesting questions! 

First, according to our Nation's definition of who is Metis, there is no blood quantum qualification.  You either is or you aint, kind of like being a little bit pregnant.  This, of course, has been creating some difficulties, especially at the political level.  Many Metis people live in cities and have become quite assimilated into the "mainstream", which is their Right.  I am a "Two-bit Indian," or a "quarter buck" myself, in that my own father married a non-native lady, who he loved and eventually died in her arms.  I was fortunate to have been taught Pride in all of the heritage of my bloodlines, and find that the term Metis even shows Respect for my mother's Culture, as well as recognizing that we are still Metis.  While I am married to a Metis woman now,  I was married to a non-native, many decades ago, and our son has since married an Aboriginal lady, so our grandchildren are of a higher blood quantum than I am.

Those of us who still live with the land and practice our distinct Culture have a responsibility to pass along the Pride and Dignity of our people, to future generations.  We are also trying to pass on the knowledge of living with the land and language, which is being helped by having organizations such as the Dumont Technical Institute, Pemmican Publishing and Gabriel Dumont Institute, who publish books and have worked to preserve language, stories and other valuable information and educational programs.

Although we have been politically seperated from First Nations, many of us continue to work closely with our First Nation relatives and believe that, when all Aboriginal people walk together, we are very strong.

Hope this helps. Ric

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;
I am sorry, but could not post longer, it is Blueberry season and Rose and I have been picking lots, quickly because of it being such a late year for so many plants.

We have been working on retaining and using the Traditional knowledge of plants, among our own people and have been working toward creating economic "bridges" between the Traditional Knowledge of our People, the natural resources of our areas and the modern economy.  What is known as Non Timber Forest Product industries will help to preserve our Cultural identity, by developing ways of people being able to maintain a healthy economy, while learning about our Traditional Knowledge.

There was quite a debate about this, in the research needed thread, once upon a time.
Ric

[E.P. Grondine]

Hi Ric -

And I would take it that since there are federally recognized meti organizations neither the Cree (in your case) or the meti fall prey to frauds much at all?

Just out of curiousity, since spanning the 2 worlds is so difficult, I would like to ask you how relations are between Christian priests and Native spiritual guides.

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

Sorry it took so long to respond but we are quite busy harvesting our Traditionally used plants, for the next year.

The Catholic church has become much more tolerant, over the past few decades, and it is not uncommon to see Sweetgrass being used in the church, now.  Many of the people involved in Traditional ceremonies are also members of Catholic, Anglican, Evangelical or United churches.  I carved a cross with a Medicine Wheel inside it, for my wife, who is Catholic, but also works with many of our Traditionally used plants and other Medicines. 

As many of our communities are still quite vibrant and very much aware of who we are, we do not have many frauds to deal with, although they do appear from time to time. 

In our own family, we have maintained strong connections with the First Nation aspects of our families and are often involved in retaining the knowledge of our Traditional Medicines and Healing practices.  As a matter of fact, yesterday I was visited by a First Nation person, who is coordinating a Traditional Healing Conference, to invite us to participate, due to our past and present work with some of this.

It is unfortunate that there are many, especially in the US, who use the term "Metis" to try to find a way to "fit in" when they could more likely benefit from searching their own roots and finding that there may be many strengths in their own clutures that they could learn from.
Ric

[E.P. Grondine]

Thanks so much for your replies - they are very good to hear.

Finally, what of th relations between the Cree and say Meti descended from Cree?

I am sure that they are warm and friendly individually. But how do the Cree handle these legally and formally?

How about the other nations?

[NCRunningWolf]

For just general info.
We also call ourselves met'chief, (SP?).
Mebbe so cuz we full of mischief?
That's just Montana/North Dakota Blackfeet/Chippewa?

[Ric_Richardson]

Tansi;

Up this way, our language, which is a blend of French and Cree, mainly, with a splash of English thrown in, is called "Michif" and many people do equate this word with our mischievious ways.

As to legal issues between the Cree and Metis, there is a great deal of division on this, but most of our shared Traditional territories are only used after the Government of Saskatchewan or Canada excercises their "Duty to Consult" with both First Nation and Metis peoples.  The division has been brought about mainly by having different funding sources, at odds with each other and which were meant, in part, to keep our people from working together, for common causes.

I have personally experienced many situations, in which both First Nations and the Metis worked together and the results benefitted all of us, as well as Respecting other inhabitants of our territories.

I am certainly not an expert, but these are my opinions.  Thank you for your input and questions!

Ric

[Don Naconna]

There are no recognised Metis outside of Canada. These people are phonies. Traditional Metis religion is Catholic. movhttp://www.metisnation.ca/who/index.html These people are Frauds annd should be in the fraud section. People have this idea that anyone who claims and Indian blood is Metis, which is wrong, they have a distinct language, tradition and history. I was in a group a while back and this woman calling herself "metismom" was selling memberships to some fake Metis group. In Canada Metis of Western Canada must be part of the Metis communities (villages) and have historical ties to the community and culture.

[nighthawk]

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[nighthawk]

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