The responsibility to film and document a Batoche festival has turned into much more for Jason McKay.
McKay, who was the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan Director of Education at the 2022 Batoche Festival, volunteered to film the event and talk to people about their experience.
He says this weekend of filming morphed into a newly developed position now known as The Wandering Métis.
In this role, McKay has traveled around the Métis homeland sharing stories of Métis people.
“I am a non-political ambassador of the citizens,” said McKay in an interview with MBC Radio News about the role. “My job is to go out into the community and capture Métis stories, celebrations, cultural events, and Métis way of life in Saskatchewan. I’ve been as far north as La Loche and as far south as Indian Head.”
McKay says he has also recently began speaking at schools explaining the role and purpose of The Wandering Métis. Heading into his second year on the road, McKay feels he has done a “great job” capturing Métis stories.
“Now I have schools reaching out to me and asking me to come into their safe space and educating children on who we are as Métis people in Saskatchewan.”
McKay noted his visit with Métis fiddle legend John Arcand, who was building his 99th fiddle out of 100 , as a highlight of his first season in the role.
“I got to sit with John and build with him, and record it all on video,” he said. “That was the feather in my cap for the first season and I am looking for the second one.”
(The Wandering Metis Jason McKay speaks with fiddle legend John Arcand. Photo provided.)
McKay says the role of The Wandering Métis is still fairly new and there are plenty more stories to tell. He pointed to Cumberland House’s 250th anniversary as an upcoming event he hopes to be at this year.
“I am really looking forward to heading up there and capturing some of that.”
He also says he hopes The Wandering Métis will not be limited to provincial borders.
“I want people from Canada and all over the world to know who we are as proud Métis people here in Saskatchewan.”
“It’s exciting because the Métis story hasn’t always been a pleasant one…and the stories keep coming and I do as much as I can to either record it on video or do a social media post because people are so proud to be Métis now… it’s very exciting and I am really looking forward to season 2.”