Metifest at Peace Garden

Summer may be winding down but many outdoor festivals are still taking advantage of the nice weather Starting Saturday and running through Sunday the International andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t peace-gardenandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Peace Gardenandamp lt aandamp gt is playing host to a first-time celebration- one that organizers believe has been a long time coming Les Thomas Co-Organizer andamp quot A big family reunion where you re meeting your relatives some for the first time andamp quot Dan Erdmann KX News It s not your typical family reunion but a gathering of people with a rich history and background Metifest is a first time event celebrating a culture often overlooked Gene Lafromboise Co-Organizer andamp quot Well the Meti people are people who originated as a result of unions between Europeans and Indian people In our neck of the woods it was mostly the French and the Ojibwa and Cree Indian people that got together and formed their own culture their own language andamp quot Dan Erdmann KX News Much of the language being spoken at this festival is done through song Fiddlers and andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t danceandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Danceandamp lt aandamp gt rs get to show off their skills through competition and organizers say visitors get a chance to connect and in some cases re-connect with others Gene Lafromboise Co-Organizer andamp quot It s a bringing of our peoples back together the Canadian Mati and the American ones and what more appropriate place to do it than here at the Peace Garden andamp quot Les Thomas Co-Organizer andamp quot The thing is here with the diverse cultures the Mati people have been kinda long forgotten so here we are honoring our veterans our elders and our people andamp quot Dan Erdmann KX News Several state dignitaries even made the trip North to help honor this special occasion and do a bit of reminiscing as well Richard Marcellais Turtle Mt Chippewa Tribal Chairman andamp quot I think it s the music it brings back memories of when I was a kid and I used to go to the bush dances and the square dances in the andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t turtle-mountainandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Turtle Mountainandamp lt aandamp gt s It brings all that atmosphere back andamp quot Scott Davis ND Indian Affairs Comm andamp quot It s unity for one thing and it s also understanding each other Understanding that we re all unique whether we come from small town andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t north-dakotaandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt North Dakotaandamp lt aandamp gt or small town reservation we all some common threads andamp quot Dan Erdmann KX News Organizers say finding those connections is sole purpose behind Metifest They hope to create bonds that will last through many decades and even centuries to come Gene Lafromboise Co-Organizer andamp quot It s a time to establish relationships relationships with people that you ve never seen for hundreds of years maybe and go back to your geneology and find relatives that you never knew existed before andamp quot Dan Erdmann KX News And you can bet these newly found family members will be anxious for their next reunion at the 2nd annual Metifest Sunday s Metifest events begin at 1 pm and run through the afternoon at the International Peace Garden s Masonic Auditorium