Yorkville University’s Dr. Doris MacKinnon has been awarded the Canadian Historical Association (CHA)’s Indigenous History Book Prize for her latest book, Métis Matriarchs: Agents of Transition.
Co-edited by MacKinnon alongside Dr. Cheryl Troupe, the 336-page book was lauded by the CHA as “an outstanding work of historical research that brings forward the voices of Métis women” and a “powerful testament to the strength and resilience of these women.”
MacKinnon, a Master of Education professor whose dedication to Truth and Reconciliation earned her a King Charles III Coronation Medal earlier this year, characterized this latest recognition as an “incredible honour.”
Passionately engaged in sharing the stories of Métis women since the start of her own graduate studies, MacKinnon credited the subject of her first book – The Identities of Marie Rose Delorme Smith: Portrait of a Métis Woman – for inspiring all her work that followed.
“Marie Rose’s story convinced me not only of her important contributions, but it convinced me that there were undoubtedly many more stories like hers that needed to be recorded and shared,” she said, noting that the story of Delorme Smith – who was recently recognized as a person of national historic significance by Parks Canada – is recounted once more in Métis Matriarchs.
“The (Parks Canada) recognition, along with this most recent award by the Canadian Historical Association, are an honour to me, but more importantly they are an honour to Marie Rose’s family members who entrusted me with her story, and to the authors and family members who contributed to Métis Matriarchs.”
Highlighting the Legacy of Métis Women
Published by the University of Regina Press, Métis Matriarchs examines the impact of prominent Métis women from across Western Canada from the late 19th to the mid-20th century, exploring the integral roles these women assumed to ensure the survival of their communities during the fur trade era and onward. The book provides a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of these remarkable figures who were respected for their knowledge, expertise, and authority within their families and communities.
MacKinnon said her decision to focus on learning more about the contributions of such Métis women, in particular, was born of her belief that we, as a society, don’t know enough about their contributions to our collective history.
“The more I shared the stories of the Métis women that I learned about, the more I became convinced that there was great interest from readers in learning more about their lives…particularly as we commit to the journey of Truth and Reconciliation,” she said
“I approached my colleague, Dr. Cheryl Troupe, and together we sent out a call for proposals from Métis scholars and family members who might be interested in sharing the stories of Métis women. We were so pleased to receive excellent proposals, many of them from family members who were eager to participate in our project.”
Yorkville SSAF Funding Proved Key to Project Completion
Along the way, MacKinnon also received backing from Yorkville University for the Métis Matriarchs project via Support for Scholarly Activity Funding (SSAF) – something that proved not only a practical boon, but also a symbolic one.
“It would have been very difficult to complete the significant amount of editorial work in the timelines established by the publisher without this support,” MacKinnon said of the funding, explaining that it allowed her and Troupe to enlist the assistance of an editor with significant experience with the final editing of such projects.
“The support from YU also demonstrated faith in my capacity as a researcher and author. As they reviewed my proposal, the (SSAF) committee clearly recognized the value of this project and the contribution it could make to our collective understanding of the contributions of Métis women in particular, and of Indigenous people in general.”
Shining a Light on Untold Stories
With the CHA’s Indigenous History Book Award shining a brighter spotlight on Métis Matriarchs, MacKinnon said she’s hopeful more readers will be exposed to – and come to appreciate – the opportunity to learn about and from the Métis community leaders profiled within its pages.
“Often, their stories were not considered important enough to record in ways that Canadians could learn about the important contributions they made to their communities, to their families and to their broader communities, as the Canadian fur trade developed, then transitioned to an industrialized agricultural economy,” she said.
It’s MacKinnon’s hope, she added, that Métis Matriarchs inspires even more such stories to emerge, as Canadians continue to engage with Indigenous communities – “walking alongside them, learning from them, and sharing the stories as they would have them shared.”
To learn more about Métis Matriarchs: Agents of Transition or order a copy of the book, go to https://uofrpress.ca/Books/M/Metis-Matriarchs
