Métis Time Keeping and Lunar Calendar
Métis Time and Space
Establishing space and time is a cultural practice and Métis peoples looked to the sky as a compass but also a clock and a calendar. The moon progresses through the night and daytime sky with regular patterns of motion. The appearance of the eight phases of the moon symbolizes the passing of time, and is a way to mark the passing of the seasons. In Autumn, the moon is orbiting closest to the eastern horizon. So as the full moon rises, distortion caused by the Earth’s atmosphere makes the moon appear much larger. As it rises further into the night sky, the moon returns to its usual size to the human eye. The progress of the earth as its spins on its axis, and moves forward in space, creates time on the earth. And as viewed from earth, the motion of the sun and the moon above has been a symbol of our direct connection to the universe.
Seasonal Shifts and Marking Time
Stories that reflect following the 13 months and the cyclical seasonal activities which are reflected in the lunar year. Gatherings during Rendezvous were opportunities for storytelling and the sharing of knowledge, spiritual connections to the sky and scientific information necessary for survival. The month of February was a time of storytelling. Dark nights were perfect for oral tradition of placing characters in the awe and wonder of the sky. Stories were an opportunity to link a fascinating and memorable tale with the science of seasonal constellation shifts.
Métis Calendar
In a blend of Cree and Western time keeping practices, the Métis calendar marks out the progression of time through seasonal hunting, gathering and agricultural practices. Today we follow the Georgian calendar, but Métis traditions blended the seasonal transitions with monthly and weekly calendar followed by the European fur traders. The calendar is based upon the Student Handbook created by the Métis Nation of Greater Victoria.
Métis Calendar
Click a month to see its lunar month name and traditional activities.
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
Trapping: Weasels, skunks, mink, otters, beavers, muskrats, bears, foxes, and lynx
Hunting: Bears, wolves, coyotes, prairie chickens, rabbits, moose, deer, and elk
Ice fishing with nets
Buffalo hunting in winter camps
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
Trapping: Weasels, skunks, mink, otters, beavers, muskrats, bears, foxes, and lynx
Hunting: Bears, wolves, coyotes, prairie chickens, rabbits, moose, deer, and elk
Ice fishing with nets
Buffalo hunting in winter camps
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
Hunting: Ducks, geese swans, prairie chickens, pheasants, partridges, moose, deer, elk, and bears
Trapping/Hunting: Mink, otters, beavers, muskrats, rabbits, coyotes, and wolves
Fishing: Spawning fish such as pike, walleye, and sturgeon. Caught using weirs, nets, spears or traps
Farming and Harvesting
Collecting birch bark. Used for canoes and household items
Sapping birch and maple trees
Seeding wheat as well as other grains
Medicine harvesting
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
- Hunting: Ducks, geese swans, prairie chickens, pheasants, partridges, moose, deer, elk, and bears
- Trapping/Hunting: Mink, otters, beavers, muskrats, rabbits, coyotes, and wolves
- Fishing: Spawning fish such as pike, walleye, and sturgeon. Caught using weirs, nets, spears or traps
Farming and Harvesting
- Collecting birch bark. Used for canoes and household items
- Sapping birch and maple trees
- Seeding wheat as well as other grains
- Medicine harvesting
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
- Hunting: Ducks, geese swans, prairie chickens, pheasants, partridges, moose, deer, elk, and bears
- Trapping/Hunting: Mink, otters, beavers, muskrats, rabbits, coyotes, and wolves
- Fishing: Spawning fish such as pike, walleye, and sturgeon. Caught using weirs, nets, spears or traps
Farming and Harvesting
- Collecting birch bark. Used for canoes and household items.
- Seeding wheat, grains and vegetables
- Medicine harvesting
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
- Hunting bison: Spring/Summer Buffalo Hunt begins
- Hunting: Wolves, coyotes, bears, prairie chickens, rabbits, moose, deer, and elk
- Trapping: Bears
- Fishing with nets
Farming and Harvesting
- Medicine harvesting
- Seeding and harvesting barley
- Growing vegetables
- Gathering: Seneca root, blueberries, saskatoon berries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and chokecherries
- Drying berries and fish
- Shearing sheep
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
- Hunting bison: Spring/Summer Buffalo Hunt continues
- Hunting: Wolves, coyotes, bears, prairie chickens, rabbits, moose, deer, and elk
- Trapping: Bears
- Fishing with nets
Farming and Harvesting
- Medicine harvesting
- Seeding and harvesting barley
- Growing vegetables
- Gathering: Seneca root, blueberries, saskatoon berries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and chokecherries
- Drying berries and fish
- Shearing sheep
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
- Hunting bison: Spring/Summer Buffalo Hunt ends, Fall Buffalo Hunt begins
- Hunting: Wolves, coyotes, bears, prairie chickens, rabbits, moose, deer, and elk
- Trapping: Bears
- Fishing with nets
Farming and Harvesting
- Medicine harvesting
- Seeding and harvesting barley
- Growing vegetables
Gathering: Seneca root, blueberries, saskatoon berries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, and chokecherries
- Drying berries and fish
- Shearing sheep
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
- Hunting bison: Fall Buffalo Hunt continues
- Hunting: Moose, deer, elk, bears, prairie chickens, migratory ducks, geese, and swans
- Trapping/Hunting: Bears, wolves, coyotes, mink, otters, beavers, muskrats, and rabbits
- Fishing: Spawning fish such as whitefish and salmon. Caught using weirs, nets, spears or traps
Farming and Harvesting
- Harvesting: Medicines, wheat, wild rice, chokecherries, Saskatoon berries, and highbush cranberries
- Slaughtering livestock
Winter Preparation
- Preparing winter foods and supplies for both trading and personal purposes
- Preparing winter clothing and shelter for the community
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
- Hunting bison: Fall Buffalo Hunt ends within this lunar month or continues into the next one
- Hunting: Moose, deer, elk, bears, prairie chickens, migratory ducks, geese, and swans
- Trapping/Hunting: Bears, wolves, coyotes, mink, otters, beavers, muskrats and rabbits
- Fishing: Spawning fish such as whitefish and salmon. Caught using weirs, nets, spears or traps
Farming and Processing
- Slaughtering livestock
- Processing: Meat, hides, fruits, and vegetables
Winter Preparation
- Preparing clothing and shelter for winter months
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting
- Hunting bison: The latest time the Fall Buffalo Hunt would end
- Hunting: Moose, deer, elk, and bears
- Trapping/Hunting: Bears, wolves, coyotes, mink, otters, beavers, muskrats, and rabbits
Processing
- Curing meat
- Tanning hides
Traditional Métis Activities:
Hunting and Fishing
- Trapping: Weasels, skunks, mink, otters, beavers, muskrats, bears, foxes, and lynx
- Hunting: Bears, wolves, coyotes, prairie chickens, rabbits, moose, deer, and elk
- Ice fishing with nets
Winter Celebrations
- December 24th: Christmas Eve
- December 25th: Christmas Day
December 31st - January 6th: New Year's Eve and New Year's Day/Ochetookeskaw
New Year's celebrations can be referred to as a chivaree, a Michif word for party. Chivarees are vibrant gatherings with music, feasting and dancing. Chivarees could last multiple days. The custom of kissing and shaking hands is to express best wishes for the new year, hence the alternative name "Ochetookeskaw", meaning "Kissing Day" or "Shaking Hands Day".
Throughout Christmas season: Weddings
Due to all of the other celebrations already occurring, many weddings would also happen during this time. Like New Year's celebrations, weddings were also chivarees that often went on for days after the official ceremony.
The Moon in Métis Tradition
The regular patterns of the moon’s phases and the cyclical nature of the moon rise and set were a part of Indigenous lifeways. The moon was a marker of time and was part of seasonal traditions of the Métis peoples. The new moon is a new beginning and is the strongest phase then the phases slowly weaken until returning to the new moon once again. Animal and fish activity changes with the moon phases. A good hunter needs to adapt their hunting and fishing practices. The new moon and three days after animals are forging at night while closer to the full moon they rest. The shape of a quarter moon can predict the weather. Jagged edges to the moon forecast cold weather and smoother lines indicate warmer weather. Observing the moon each night have created traditions and stories around the influence of the moon on the earth.
Moon Phases
The order of the Moon’s phases are as follows: New Moon, Waxing, Full Moon, and Waning.
The lunar month begins when the Moon is fully dark, known as a New Moon. The Moon then begins to become illuminated, referred to as the waxing phase since the area of light is growing. A Full Moon occurs once the Moon is fully lit. The Moon’s illuminated area then begins decreasing, known as the waning period since the area of light is getting smaller. The lunar month ends just before the next New Moon. Although it takes 27.3 days for the Moon to complete a full orbit, observers on Earth see the phases complete in 29.5 days instead because of the time it takes for light to travel from the Moon to Earth. The predictable nature of the Moon’s phases acts as a simple way to keep track of time. Different phases also determine the time of moonrise and moonset.
Lunar Progression
The Moon rotates along its axis and orbits the Earth in a counterclockwise direction. Both motions take the same amount of time to complete, 27.3 days. This causes the Moon to always have the same side facing the Earth. This phenomenon is known as “Tidal Locking”. All large moons in our solar system are tidally locked with their planets. Tidal locking is not exclusive to just moons and their planets but can also happen to other celestial objects such as planets with their stars.
Celestial Motion Earth Moon Sun
To observers on Earth’s northern hemisphere, light appears to move from the right to left on the Moon during its orbit. This is due to the direction of the Moon’s orbit and its position relative to the Sun and Earth. Like the Earth, the Moon also has a night and day side from the Sun’s light. During its orbit around Earth, observers on Earth will view the Moon at various angles, which affects the amount of light or shadow seen on the Moon. The varying amount of light seen on the Moon is categorized by 8 distinct phases: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, and Waning Crescent.
