Mattawa: “of the Métis Nation”
- Ontario Métis Facts
- Apr 14
- 2 min read
The Mattawa/Ottawa River Historic Métis Community was one of seven historic Métis communities in northern Ontario studied by the landmark MNC Expert Panel through the lens of the 2002 National Definition and contemporary Métis governance.
During its year-long study, the MNC Expert Panel reviewed over 50,000 pages of evidence, engaged with over 160 Métis Nation citizens, elders, youth, scholars, and leaders during more than 120 hours of meetings, and visited the Mattawa/Ottawa River Historic Métis Community to engage with and gather additional evidence from community members themselves.
The MNC Expert Panel’s 260-page Final Report represented the most comprehensive, transparent, ethical, and objective study ever conducted on historic Métis Nation communities in what is now Ontario and outlined fact-based historic and contemporary relationships between the historic Métis communities in Ontario and the larger Métis Nation.
The Expert Panel’s conclusions were clear, stating that the Mattawa/Ottawa River Historic Métis Community “meets the threshold and is a member of the Métis Nation” (pg. 158) as per the National Definition and contemporary Métis governance.
The Expert Panel also recognized that “the Mattawa region clearly shows familial ties from Mattawa to other Métis communities in Ontario and across the Homeland” (pg. 160) and that “this mobility amongst communities, and the knowledge mobility that accompanies it, is an important indicator of Métis identity, connection and belonging and that the Mattawa community is representative of this mobile kinship community network” (pg. 160-161).
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