| The Metis sash is a woven belt made of wool approximately three metres long. Traditionally it was tied at the waist to hold a coat closed, including being used as a scarf or rope.
As a symbol, the sash represents connectedness. Here are some excerpts from a Metis priest's prayer:
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"Metis people, God, have been wearing the sash proudly for many years. When I look at it, I notice that it is composed of many interconnected threads, many strands, many patterns, many colors contribute to the overall design of the sash. Our Metis culture God is like the sash. The lives of the Metis have been woven together from a variety of cultures, traditions and beliefs ... For example, God, we are the descendants of the English, of the French, of the Indian-Cree and Ojibway and Scots to name a few. We speak a variety of languages: English, Canadian French, Michif French, Michif Cree and Mashkegon. Look at the sash: it is a composite. It is a mixture. It is Metis. It is made of a variety of elements, like the lives of the Metis. Look at its pattern, its fabric, its colors. Nonetheless, these disparate elements form an integrated whole. Similarly, the different ethnic backgrounds and different languages to the Metis blend into one another to form a rich tapestry like the lives and culture of the Metis." | |
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Today, the sash is still worn by the Metis people. Metis women occasionally wear it over the shoulder, while others wear it the traditional way, around the waist & tied in the middle, with the fringes hanging down. The Manitoba Metis Senate started a tradition of draping the sash over the table wherever Metis people are gathered for discussion. The Manitoba Metis Federation at their last Assembly, adopted a new sash with the colour variations of red, which is the historical depicted colour for the Metis Sash, blue & white symbolizing the colours of the Metis Nation flag; green signifying fertility, growth and prosperity; and black, symbolizing the dark period in which the Metis people had to endure dispossession & repression.
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