The Path of Spirit: Métis Ways of Being Sacred

Part 3 of Walking the Four Paths

Why I’m Writing About Spirit

When I first started learning about Métis spirituality, I felt lost. My early spiritual life was shaped by church, but my family also found meaning in nature, gratitude, and quiet moments. I wondered, is there a “right” way to be spiritual as a Métis person? The more I learned, the more I realized that Métis spirituality isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about living with both worlds, and sometimes, creating something entirely new.

Métis Spirituality: A Continuum, Not a Box

Let’s pause for a moment. Maybe you’ve heard that Métis people are “just Catholic” or “don’t do ceremony.” The real story is much richer.

• Some Métis families have practiced folk Catholicism for generations, with pilgrimages, prayers to the Virgin, wakes, and holy water rituals.

• Others have always held onto Indigenous ceremonies like sweat lodges, smudging, pipe ceremonies, and giving thanks to the Creator with tobacco.

• Many Métis people blend both traditions, or find their own way somewhere in between.

  
  

There is no single “Métis religion.” Instead, there is a spectrum, with Christianity on one end, Indigenous ceremony on the other, and many unique blends in the middle.

What Does Métis Spirituality Look Like?

Here are some real examples:

• Attending Catholic Mass or Protestant church, especially for major events like Christmas or funerals

• Going to sweat lodge, pipe ceremonies, or smudging at home

• Making offerings of tobacco or prayers when fishing, hunting, or harvesting plants

• Honouring the land and all living beings as relatives, not resources

• Blending traditions, such as praying the rosary and smudging in the same day, or holding feasts and ceremonies that combine elements from both sides of ancestry

  
  

In other words: Métis spirituality is about balance, respect, and gratitude-whether that’s found in a church, a lodge, or out on the land.

Why This Duality Exists

Métis people have always lived between worlds. Our ancestors were both Indigenous and European, and our communities learned to weave together different spiritual teachings. Métis children learned from both their mothers’ and fathers’ backgrounds, and many families still honour both traditions.

This duality isn’t a weakness. It’s a strength. It allows Métis people to adapt, survive, and create new ways of being sacred.

Ceremony and Resurgence

Some Métis families never lost their ceremonies. Others are returning to them now, after generations of silence or pressure to assimilate. Elders have kept sweat lodge and pipe traditions alive, welcoming new generations who are hungry for ceremony.

If you’re just starting to explore ceremony, you’re not alone. Many Métis people are on this journey right now. There is room for everyone at the fire.

Everyday Spirituality

You don’t have to attend a formal ceremony to be spiritual. Métis spirituality is found in:

• Saying a prayer before a meal or a journey

• Giving thanks when you harvest or catch something

• Lighting a candle or offering tobacco

• Walking in nature and feeling connected to all living things

• Helping others and practicing kindness

  
  

So, what does this mean for us? It means your way of being spiritual is valid, even if it doesn’t look like anyone else’s.

Reflection Prompts

• What spiritual practices or traditions did your family have, even if they weren’t called “spiritual”?

• Have you ever felt pulled between different ways of being sacred?

• What is one small way you can honour spirit in your everyday life?

  
  

You Belong Here

Whether you find meaning in church, ceremony, nature, or a blend of all three, you are walking the Path of Spirit. Métis spirituality is about connection, to land, to ancestors, to Creator, and to each other. There’s no single path, and no one is left behind.

Next Article: The Path of Land: Coming Home to the Earth

Walking Together, Forever Métis.

You Belong Here.