Three Michif languages

Métis people have been multilingual since the birth of the Métis Nation, speaking the languages of their neighbours and trading partners in addition to their own. This multilingualism allowed the Métis to prosper during the fur trade era, and language remains an important part of Métis identity in contemporary times. You may have heard of Michif, a language spoken among some Métis throughout the homeland; in fact, “Michif” has come to refer to any of three unique languages that formed alongside Métis culture: Heritage Michif, Northern Michif, and Michif French.

It is important to note that these are in fact distinct languages, not dialects of one another. The word “dialect” implies mutual intelligibility despite differences in vocabulary or pronunciation; in other words, a speaker of dialect ‘A’ can understand most of what a speaker of dialect ‘B’ says (think Canadian English vs. British English). This is not the case for Michif: someone who only speaks Michif French cannot understand Northern Michif, and vice versa; even someone who speaks Heritage Michif would have difficulty comprehending if they were not familiar with the other two languages. Nevertheless, they are all known as “contact languages,” because they arose from contact between French explorers and Algonquian-speaking peoples (e.g., Cree and Ojibwe).

The information below describes each Michif language in more detail; bear in mind that while they were all traditionally spoken in fairly specific regions, the reality of contemporary times is such that you may find speakers of any Michif language spread throughout the homeland and indeed the rest of Canada.

The Three Michif Languages

Heritage (Southern) Michif

Heritage Michif, also known as Southern Michif, or Michif, is spoken mainly from western Manitoba all the way to central Alberta, in addition to Northern North Dakota and Montana. It originated among the bison-hunting Métis who lived on the plains. Today in Saskatchewan, it is spoken especially in the Yorkton, Cypress Hills, Qu’Appelle Valley, Regina, and Round Prairie/Saskatoon areas.

Linguistically, it is considered to be one of the most unique languages in the world – described somewhat simplistically – as a blend of French nouns and Cree verbs. The French element of Heritage Michif mostly comes from Michif French, with the majority of the Algonquian element coming from the Plains Cree (Y dialect) and a small Western Ojibwe (Saulteaux) influence. That said, Heritage Michif has solidified into its own language: it contains elements from its source languages, but also has characteristics that are unique to it alone. A good example of this is the way in which some French elements are “sandwiched” in Cree grammar, like the French noun le vieux (‘old man’) becoming a verb in phrases like ni maachi li vyeu-iwin (‘I am getting old’). It is important to note that for the majority of its existence Heritage Michif has been an oral language passed down through oral transmission. Today, there is no universal standardized spelling system in Heritage Michif. Spelling systems can vary from speaker to speaker, or province to province. At MN-S we have adopted the double vowel spelling system used by mother tongue speaker Norman Fleury and linguist Peter Bakker. Other examples of spelling systems exist, with different variations of the double vowel system being used, as well as a phonetic spelling system used by some speakers.

Northern Michif

Northern Michif is primarily spoken throughout North-Western Saskatchewan and parts of Northern Alberta. Notable communities in Saskatchewan include Green Lake, Meadow Lake, Beauval, Île-à-la-Crosse, and Buffalo Narrows. Many consider it a dialect of Cree, but with a noticeable French influence. Northern Michif is a historic language that holds stories and cultural teachings.  It is likely that as Métis began moving north in greater numbers, they began to speak Cree to easily communicate with their First Nations kin and neighbours.  Speakers say that the French vocabulary in Northern Michif was introduced by the clergy and school system, rather than coming from Michif French, and the Cree (Plains Cree Y-Dialect), came from First Nations neighbours. As missionaries and voyageurs followed the river systems from Red River to Northern Saskatchewan, Cree was the language they heard. It is through this connection to the land that Northern Michif gives identity to those who speak it, a connection to where they come from. In terms of a writing system, Northern Michif follows the Standard Roman Orthography (SRO). SRO is a system for writing the Cree language that uses a modified form of the Latin alphabet. It provides a consistent way to represent Cree sounds, assigning one letter to each distinct sound or phoneme.

Michif French

Michif French, sometimes referred to as French Michif and Michif, is known to be spoken in regions such as St. Laurent, St. Eustache and Saint Ambroise in Manitoba, St. Louis, Batoche, St. Laurent, Duck Lake areas in Saskatchewan, and the Lac la Biche, St. Paul, St. Albert and Bonnyville areas in Alberta, with slight variations in the language within regions. It is said to have been the language primarily spoken in the Red River area in the 1870s. Linguists often refer to Michif French as a dialect of French; however, traditional speakers of the language refer to it as Michif, the language of their Red River Métis families. It is said to have been influenced by the phonological and syntactic features of Algonquian languages, as noted in examples such as the word ‘window’ in French, which is ‘fenêtre’ but is shaasii or vett in Michif French, and the term ‘skunk’ in French is ‘moufette’ but is shiikawk in Michif French.

Languages Métis People Speak & Spoke in the Past

Since the birth of the Métis Nation, Métis people have been multilingual, often speaking several languages at once. This adaptability was key to their success in the fur trade and in building relationships with neighbouring Nations. Beyond the well-known Michif languages, many Métis also spoke (and in some cases continue to speak) other languages such as Dene, Cree, English, Bungi, and Brayet. These languages reflect the diversity of Métis communities across the homeland and show how language has always been central to Métis identity.

Cree

Cree was one of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages among Métis people across the Prairie homelands. Many Métis grew up speaking Cree (in its various dialects such as Plains Cree or Swampy Cree) at home or in community, and Cree grammar, vocabulary, and worldview have strongly influenced Michif. In fact, the Cree verb system forms the backbone of Michif, making Cree central to both Métis language heritage and the unique development of Michif itself.

Dene

Some Métis families lived and intermarried in northern regions where Dene was spoken. As a result, a number of Métis people historically spoke Dene, often alongside other Indigenous and European languages. While not as widespread as Cree or French among the Métis, Dene still represents an important strand of Métis multilingual identity, especially in communities with close ties to Dene Nations.

English

As colonial settlement and trade expanded, English became increasingly common among Métis people. By the late 19th and 20th centuries, English often became the dominant language in many Métis households due to schooling, government policies, and economic pressures. Despite this shift, English for Métis people has often been carried alongside Indigenous languages, shaping a multilingual identity where switching between languages was normal.

Bungi

Bungi (sometimes spelled “Bungee”) was a distinct dialect or creole that developed in Red River, combining Scots English, Gaelic, Cree, and other influences. It was spoken particularly by Scottish-descended Métis families and reflects the diversity of linguistic blending in Métis communities. While less known today, Bungi represents another unique expression of Métis identity and language creativity, much like Michif.