EVENTS

MIKI'SIW Métis Association Today

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The MIKI'SIW Métis Association is a non-profit organization, a registered society with the Province of British Columbia and a Chartered Community of the Métis Nation of British Columbia.  The organization  is administered by a volunteer Board of Directors, whom are voted in at the Annual General Meeting in October.

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Association History

 

"We had humble beginnings. It started with a small group of interested Métis people wanting to form a local.  Glen Hendry, Mother June Hendry, Blake Mainprize, Teresa Burnam and myself Bryce Mercredi.

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We met monthly over a period of about a year, Glen was the president, and I was the representative for the Island Métis. In 1994 we had a community meeting and elected Audrey Waite as our first President. We became North Island Métis Association and included all communities from Comox Valley to Port Hardy including Powell River.

 

In 2004 approximately 100 members in the Comox Valley voted in favor of forming our own local community which we called the MIKI’SIW Métis Association. The word MIKI”SIW is Cree for eagle and was chosen by the Board because of its sound and to stand out as our name as it is always printed in all capitals. The Eagle is a prominent animal in all Indigenous cultures and has many traits, the Plains Cree believe Eagles facilitate communication between men and spirits." - Bryce Mercredi, Elder

 

Bryce Mercredi  was elected the first president, a position he held until 2018. Originally Powell River was a part of our membership but has since formed their own Chartered Community.