Mé́tis fiddling at the borders of Canadian tradition ...

• Main Author: Fuoco, Kristi Weiss
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2011
• Subjects: Metis
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0100877; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0100877

The tradition of Metis fiddling in Canada is an integral yet relatively unknown historical practice that has been handed down through the generations. The rich combination of European culture and Aboriginal culture of Western Canada created a new and distinct group of people, the Metis, who played an important role in shaping Canada's history. Through a combination of Aboriginal dancing and dnirnming traditions, mixed with the Celtic and French fiddle, what is known today as Metis fiddling emerged. The tradition has been kept alive by the dedication of the older generation who pass it down orally to those willing to learn it, and through festivals and competitions that are becoming more widespread every year. In this thesis I will examine the history of the Metis and their fiddling tradition, the important role it plays in their culture and the close relationship between the fiddle and dance. My research is a combination of ethnographic, historical, cultural and musical analysis that combines to create a ...