Browsing by Author "Bouvier, Victoria"

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    Kaa-waakohtoochik (The ones who are related to each other): An inquiry of Métis understandings with/in/through the city
    (2022-07-06) Bouvier, Victoria; Field, Jim; Crowshoe, Reg; Hanson, Aubrey; Donald, Dwayne; Eaton, Sarah; Gaudet, Janice Cindy
    Stories that reflect people’s historicity, worldview, emotions, enactments, and mobilizations are profoundly important in solidifying and validating people’s identity and self-understandings. Stories can allow people, as individuals and communities, to navigate relationships with themselves and others in healthy and nurturing ways. Understanding oneself, as Métis, in a seemingly new and changing environment – the urban landscape – is particularly important for future generations to be able to know who they are so they can live well and flourish as Métis in urban ecologies. This doctoral dissertation is two-fold; first, the methodology is described and illustrates the facilitation of the inquiry through an oral knowledge system of acquisition and validation. Moreover, the “Third Perspective” is shared as a method utilized to assess stories of the co-researchers. Secondly, the inquiry frames stories of Métis everyday practices with/in/through the urban environment as living experiences that are inherently relational and connected. Emphasis is placed on the everyday practices as these are often overlooked yet are crucial in self-determination. With little current research in this area, this dissertation provides narratives, both individual and collective, that illustrate Métis as dynamic and multifaceted people who engage in multidimensional relationships that (re)affirm our identity and belonging. Métis people face misconceptions of who we are, but through this work those narratives are disrupted, and our truths are presented that tell of our cultural lineages and historicity affirming we are still alive and well even in the city. This small collection of stories strives to contribute to current and future research endeavours that articulate and celebrate Métis brilliance.
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    Re-storying Métis Spirit: Honouring lived experiences
    (2016) Bouvier, Victoria; Field, James; Poitras Pratt, Yvonne; Srivastava, Aruna
    The discussions that surround Métis identity are full of great complexities and conundrums as one begins to look at the diversity within the Métis population. These complexities can not only be understood on a macro societal scale, but also on a micro individual scale. In order to explore the nuances of Métis ways of knowing, this thesis specifically focuses on the personal narratives of four Métis individuals in order to find connections to, and evidence of Métis ways of knowing. Alongside the stories of the participants, I lace my own reflections and stories and create a narrative that ignites, reaffirms, and celebrates the Métis spirit.