When Louis Riel was trying to negotiate for the rights of Metis, French and First Nations people living in the Northwest while bringing the province of Manitoba into Confederation, Sir John A. MacDonald was quoted in the House of Commons, telling his members not to worry because the Metis will become non-existent in a matter of a few years.

We have survived through incredible odds.  We were a new nation being born, as Canada was being formed.  We very easily could have been absorbed into the mainstream society – if we were willing to shun our ancestors and pretend we were European in origin.  The pressures were there from all sides encouraging this to happen.  And certainly in a lot of cases, we have been forgotten to this day.  No matter.  We are here.

Despite direct assimilation attempts.  Despite the residential school systems.  Despite the strong influences of the Church in Metis communities to ignore and deny our Aboriginal heritage and our Aboriginal spirituality.  Despite not having a land base.  And despite our diversity in heritage.  We are still able to say we are proud to be Metis.

We are resilient as a weed.  And beautiful as a wildflower.  We have much to celebrate and be proud of. 

I interpret this painting in two ways. First, the Metis are represented by the blue flower in the centre.  The other flowers represent the many different Aboriginal nations, of which we are one.  Yet we stand out, we are unique among our brothers and sisters.  Secondly, I also see it as all the flowers representing the diversity within our Metis Nation.  We have so many heritages - Cree, Ojibway, French, Scottish, English, Chipewa, Dene, Irish, Mohawk and so on.  Yet we can still grow along sise each other, roots entwined, and call ourselves Metis.

In both instances or interpretations, the roots represent the idea that there is more to life than what is seen on the surface and that our heritage has a great influence over our lives.  There are lines which connect the plants indicating our own interconnectedness with all of Creation.  The flowers reach upwards as we seek out our individual spirituality and look to our future as Aboriginal Peoples.