This book has benefited greatly from the work of historians such as Auguste de Trémaudan, Guillaume Charette, L.-A. Prudhomme, Phillipe Mailhot, Allen Ronaghan, Doug Sprague, Gwynneth C. D. Jones, Arthur Ray, Frank Tough, Brenda Macdougall, Nicole St-Onge, Carolyn Podrushny, Diane Payment, Bernard Boquel, Lawrence Barkwell, Raymond Huel, Norma Jean Hall, Dale and Lee Gibson, Fred Shore, Adam Gaudry, Darryl Leroux and many more.
I thank the Métis writers who provided the words and thoughts of the people: Cuthbert Grant, Peter Garrioch, Louis Goulet, Louis Riel, Joseph Riel, Gabriel Dumont, Peter Erasmus, Marie Rose Smith, Marguerite Caron, Jim Brady, Malcolm Norris, Howard Adams, Harry Daniels, Elmer Ghostkeeper, Maria Campbell and many more.
I must also thank many people for their support and assistance during the writing of this history: Sakej Henderson, Leroy Little Bear, Clément Chartier, Jason Madden, Paul Chartrand, Guadalupe Jolicoeur, John Teillet and Dan Teillet for much needed review and comment; Dominique Louer and Louise Scatliff for the French translations; Norman Fleury for the Michif translations; Louise Scatliff for her unflagging encouragement and assistance, archival detective work, responding to endless queries and providing access to our grandfather’s documents; Mike Teillet, Ed Henderson and Dave Henderson for map and image assistance; Danielle Teillet for document retrieval in Ottawa; Kathy Teillet for editorial assistance and lifelong inspiration; Rick Salter and the late Arthur Pape for years of mentorship; Samantha Haywood, my agent; Patrick Crean, my editor, for his encouragement and keen insight; and HarperCollins for the opportunity to write this book. Special thanks go to my family and especially to my husband, Ed Henderson, for his much needed and appreciated love and support; and to all my friends, colleagues and family who patiently listened to me talk too much about this book in the making.
Finally, I raise my hands to my Métis Nation ancestors for blessing me with this rich heritage, impressing me with an obligation to continue it, and for listening and speaking to me during the long hours of writing. This book could not have been written without all of you.