Art

​Art was born December 25, 1942 in Grouard, Alberta, 300 miles northwest of Edmonton, near High Prairie. Grouard was named after a Catholic missionary who worked in residential Schools. Art attended residential school in Grouard as a day student. Art is Metis, his heritage linked to Red River, Manitoba. His father, referred to himself as a half-breed of English and Indigenous heritage. His mother’s grandfather was Metis, born in Red River, Manitoba coming to Alberta during the Manitoba Metis uprising.
Art recalls as a child living with a housekeeper who took care of him because his mom and dad worked hard to support the family. His mom made slippers from hide, tanned them purple, pink, and blue to create non-traditional slippers to sell. His parents spoke Cree but were adamant their children speak English to enable them to get jobs.
Never hungry as a child, Art’s parents provided well, keeping meat cold and fresh in an icehouse. They ate meat, fish, with vegetables from their large garden and drank milk. He remembers six sisters and one brother; three of his sisters were from his mother’s first marriage.
Recalling his mother, Art highlights the discriminatory nature of Indian Status perpetuated by Canadian Governments. As a Metis, even with First Nations heritage, he did not qualify for Status. Women’s Status was linked to their husband’s Status. Art’s wife, a First Nations woman, lost her Status because Art was Metis. Art believes Status laws impacted women hardest.
Art studied to become a high school English teacher. In 1970, he took his first teaching assignment in Grande Cache, where Art suggests he became a translator. English was a foreign language to his Cree students. Art taught English eight years. Small in stature, Art found his students too big and argumentative. He believes, he should have taught elementary students because he loves young children. Art later worked as a probation officer.  Retired now, he prefers to stay home. When younger Art preferred having no women around, but now he wants a wife, he can’t find one.
He misses his mom who spoiled him, her youngest child.
His son and grandson come over.
They go out to eat, returning to watch hockey (football in summer).